Hell's Lover Boy
by Sinuhe - The lonely Egyptian
Summary: A young boy strives to one day become one of the world's greatest orators before the day of his early, eventual death. But his life takes a drastic turn when a discarded love letter leads him to confront the supernatural. Thrust into the midst of a realm battered by civil unrest, he will go forward as the arbitrator between the worlds, the one known simply as: Hell's Lover Boy.
1. Chapter 1 - Gone with the wind

**Chapter One - Gone with the wind**

**_Part One_**  
"All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others," he reads as his eyes dart around the last few pages of Orwell's famous novel.

"All humans are equal, but some humans are more equal than others," he thinks as he replaces "animals" with what the author was most likely referring to.

"Allusion," he thinks to himself. "To call something into mind without stating it explicitly," he writes down in the open pages of his oratory journal which is already sprawled from one page to another in a bountiful array of speaking techniques that few people ever take the time to think of.

"Or is it an analogy?," he asks himself. "No. Analogies are explicit by nature. They're different from allusions. Though there's little difference between humans and pigs, I would say. However, humans do tend to smell better for the most part; but at the end of the day, you could argue that, for as much as one smells better than the other, they're both equally full of shit. Although humans don't eat it. Well, not in the literal sense, anyway. And no one respective pig really seems to force its own shit down any other pig's throat… I think. There's a difference, I guess. Pigs are nobler in that sense."

His eyes widen in a moment of illumination.

"Now there's a thought. _Of Swine and Men_. Or perhaps, _The nobler pig_. The story of a farm animal who is one day blessed with the faculties of human thought and expression, but lacking the form, seeking to integrate itself into human society by adopting its ethics and values. Along the way, it discovers that humanity is nowhere near as virtuous as it once thought, but by then it's too late. The pig has walked too far forward, it can't find the road back to simpler, happier times. Unwilling to be engulfed by the madness of mankind's desires, it takes its life in a final attempt to preserve the happy, humble swine it once was. Tragic, yes; but beautiful nonetheless. The story of innocence plagued by consciousness. Dead in life, yet by death made undying."

A solemn tear rolls down his left cheek, trickling down to the point of his chin, and falling down onto the long tiles of the academy roof.

"Not unlike your own life. Right, Issei? That's why you're nothing but a hopeless romantic too cowardly to speak to any real women so you seclude your thoughts between the pages of an old notebook. That's why you've been an insomniac for as long as you can remember," he says to himself.

"That's why…"

He pauses. He looks back at his notebook and opens it to the very front page. He finds an old drawing of a cartoonish stick figure standing on a stage, spouting words to a thundering applause.

"That's why you owe it to yourself to make something of your life before…"

"Look!," he hears someone shout. "It's Rias Gremory and President Sitri!"

He looks down from the other side of the roof, and finds two girls making their way down the courtyard, followed by the applause of a crowd of students. His eyes immediately fall upon Rias, her crimson hair radiating in the morning light in such a way that, if one didn't know better, they'd think it were lined in shards of crystal.

From the courtyard, Rias and Sitri are having a conversation.

"You're quite the school idol. Wouldn't you say, Rias?"

"You're not too unpopular yourself," she replies.

Suddenly, feeling as though she's being watched, she looks up to the roof of the school, idly inspecting all the windows; but finds nothing.

"What is it, Rias?"

"Hm? Oh, nothing. For a moment, I thought I saw someone looking at me from the rooftop."

"I think the fame's starting to get to your head," Sitri says jokingly.

Back on the roof, Issei holds himself against the roof, hiding himself, in astonishment.

"Did she see me?," he asks himself. "Maybe I should check," he says. He drags himself forward and, "No, you moron. Check and she really will see you. The last thing you need is the most popular girl in school labelling you as some sort of stalker. You've yet to get a reputation. Don't ruin it by staring at her like some sort of pervert."

He slides down the tiles a bit and covers his face with his hands. He brings his head back while taking a deep breath, and lets his hands slide down.

"A hopeless romantic, indeed. Still, with a beauty like her looking at you, any man would be."

Inspired once more, he opens to a blank page in his notebook and begins to draw. He makes a circle for the head and skillfully begins to lay out the rest of the shapes that'll form the base.

"Her eyes resemble aquamarines. Her smile is dazzling and confident. She walks in graceful strides and an aura of elegance seems to emanate from her very being. Her body is," he blushes for a moment, but his determination pushes him forward, "inviting, to say the least. Finally, her hair resembles a curling cascade of flames."

With one last masterful stroke, he draws in the one loose strand of hair that sticks out from the rest. At last, his work is done. He takes a moment to admire it and, in yet another moment of inspiration, begins to write.

_Des yeux qui font baisser les miens,  
__Un rire qui se perd sur sa bouche,  
__Voilà le portrait sans retouche de la femme à laquelle j'appartiens_

But he stops and thinks back on the impossibility of ever getting to talk to her for a straight minute, much less confess to her.

"Like I'd be the first," he says. "No doubt she already has a boyfriend. So why give myself any false hopes?"

With this said, he finishes the verse with an improper negation.

_Voilà le portrait sans retouche de la femme à laquelle j'appartiens __**PAS**__._

In big, bold letters, he seals his fate in ink. But as the saying goes: If you love something, let it go; and so he carefully rips the _portrait sans retouche_ from out his notebook.

"My apologies, Ms. Piaf," he says, "but I'm afraid I won't ever be seeing _la vie en rose_. Well, if it's someone like her, I think _La vie en rouge _would be a more appropriate title."

He raises the paper up into the air, and soon enough, it was, "Gone with the wind," he says chuckling as he watches the paper fly off into the sun.

"Welp, that's enough hopeless romanticism for one day," he says to himself. "Lunch time's almost over, anyway. I ought to get back to class."

Now, dear reader, it should be noted that God works in mysterious ways. We, as humans, are, for the most part, unable to comprehend with what wisdom He bends fate and freewill into the forces that influence our world. So it should come as no surprise when I tell you that as this solitary paper, which carries upon it the weight of a young boy's unrequited affections, flies back and forth over the courtyard of Kuoh Academy's high school wing, the wind blows it high, only to bring it straight down, and then whizzing past a certain girl's shoulder as she calmly enters the building. Catching her by surprise, it turns over as it lands on the cold, marble floor in front of her, laying bare the contents thereupon. Noticing this, she steps forward and picks it up. As for the boy, he leaves the roof and heads to class. Totally unaware of the sequence of events that are about to unravel.

**_Part Two_**  
"So for tomorrow, I expect you all to study pages fourteen through twenty-seven. Have a good day."

The students quickly pack their things and prepare to make their way home. But as this goes on, something pervasive is creeping through the air.

In the classes, down the halls, up the stairs, and through the walls. By the lockers, big or small, janitorial closets and bathroom stalls. It's in their mutterings, their ghost-like whispers, the gallant gossip of tenacious tricksters. Drop everything, stop the press, to the school idol, someone's confessed. Their words in French have sparked an interest in the stately maiden, the stunning mistress. And now they all must know, they must assess, curiosity will grow if left unchecked. Who is the the student that did confess? _Le bon élève _to this _belle maîtresse_.

"Did you hear about what happened?"

"Everyone's talking about it."

"I can't believe someone finally mustered up the courage to do so."

"Who do you think it could be?"

"He's probably a first-year who's in way over his head."

"I hear Gremory herself is going to confront him."

"Does she know who it is? How'd she find out?"

"I don't think she knows who it is, per se; but I think she has a way of finding out."

"They say she's going to make an announcement in the main lobby."

"Let's go. I want to see who it is that confessed."

And so, one by one, then in two's and three's, and four's and five's, the students gather in the main lobby to hear what the school idol has to say.

She stands on the second floor balcony overseeing the entrance. The students are huddled together like penguins in the Antarctic winters when they bunch together for warmth. They're silent, attentive to her words. As they wait to listen, a pair of feet goes shuffling behind them as a certain young man tries to navigate through the crowd. A feat which is, for him, much easier than one would imagine.

"Why is everyone here?," he asks. "They're blocking the entrance. Doesn't seem to be a fight. Is President Sitri going to make an announcement?"

But he receives his answer upon seeing the crimson damsel perched upon the balcony with something in her hand. Seeing as he has nothing better to do, he decides to watch from the back of the crowd and enjoy the show.

"As I'm sure you all know," she begins speaking, "I received a letter of confession at approximately 10:55 in the morning. I haven't made public the contents of this letter for the sole reason that I don't want anyone trying to falsely claim ownership of it. I don't want to scandalize nor make a mockery of anyone. I simply want to know to whom the letter belongs."

"It was me!," rings a voice from among the crowd. Out from the students comes a bulky, brutish-looking young man followed by two more unsavory individuals.

"It's Shiina and his gang."

Seiji Shiina, the school bully. It's hard for him not to stand out from among a crowd. He's your typical delinquent, sporting hair that's been dyed blond, shaved eyebrows and earrings. Known to carry around a pair of brass knuckles, the fact that he's yet to be expelled is less a miracle and more a sign of the apocalypse.

With all the confidence in the world, he stands before Rias Gremory, backed by the presence of his two goons.

"Ladies and gentlemen! May we have your attention please!," one of them begins to announce.

"We present to you, for your viewing pleasure! The number one lover boy of Kuoh Academy! He's fought many a good man and laid many a good woman; but now his heart beats for only one!"

"The man!"

"The myth!"

"The le-Get on wit' it, would ya?! We ain't got all day!"

At this interruption, the crowd bursts into laughter. Shiina, however, finds none of it funny. He looks back into the crowd and asks, "Alright, who's da comedian?! Ya fink ya funny, clown?!"

"Who ya callin' clown wit' dem shaved eyebrows o' yours?"

The students laugh once again. From the back of the crowd, Issei ducks behind some students as he feels the adrenaline rush of being able to make a fool out of the school bully in front of everyone without being so much as noticed. He smiles proudly upon hearing the students' laughter.

"Comedy. Not the most esteemed form of entertainment; but without a doubt the most effective," he says to himself.

"Why I oughtta-Seiji Shiina," interjects Rias, stopping Shiina before he can look for whoever's been making fun of him. He looks back at Rias and stands before her with his chest out.

"Did you write the letter?," she asks him.

"Wittout a doubt," he answers. "I methodologically constricted it wit' da most superfluous words in my vocabulary."

"Now that's just wrong," thinks Issei. "That's olympic gold medal stupid if I've ever heard it."

"Truly?," asks Rias. "Then pray tell, lover boy. What _superfluous_ words did you so _methodologically_ use to _constrict_ this letter?"

Shiina, being the crafty young gentleman he is, answers, "That, I'm afraid, must remain a secret. For ya see, I segregated only da most boorish words dat can be found in da Japanese language dat, if I was to say dem here, I'd move everyone to tears of scenty mints."

"I see," says Rias. "Then I'm afraid yours must be a different letter."

"What?!," he shouts, the crowd laughing at him once again. "How can ya be so sure?"

"That's simple," she responds. "It's because the letter I received isn't in Japanese, it's in French; and judging from what I've heard of you so far, you barely know the former, much less the latter."

Issei's eyes widen upon hearing those words. "No," he thinks. "But I saw the wind blow it away! There's no way that...Now, hold on, Issei. Maybe you're just getting a little ahead of yourself. So it's in French. Big whoop. There are plenty of foreign language classes here at the Academy. It could be anyone's letter. Well, anyone's besides Shiina's, but yeah. Just calm down. Everything's fine."

"But what does the writing say?," someone asks from among the crowd.

"Do you all truly wish to know?"

A resounding "yes" rings from the crowd.

Chuckling from the response, she answers them. "It's the lyrics to an old French song from the 1940s."

"An old French song from the 1940s?"

"Now that's a confession that not even Mr. Lover boy could make."

"I wonder who it could be."

The crowd goes wild with the discovery. However, at the very back of said crowd, our poor friend Issei finds the world spinning around him. The adrenaline he felt from making a fool out of the school bully turns into the adrenaline from the fear of being found out.

"My palms are sweaty. Knees weak. Arms are heavy." he begins to think to himself. "I need to leave. I need to get out of here as quickly as I can. But, my legs. I can barely stand. What's going on?"

"Are you okay?," he hears someone ask, but he can't make out who it is. Before long, the scene fades to black and he's fallen unconscious.

"Oh, boy," says a brown-haired girl sporting glasses. "Here we go again," she sighs as she picks Issei up and slowly drags him off to the nurse's office, unbeknownst to the crowd whose mutterings make it impossible for them to be noticed.


	2. Chapter 2 - And it all starts to unravel

**Chapter Two - And it all starts to unravel**

"Issei…Oh, Issei…"

"This is it," he thinks to himself. "I'm finally leaving this world for the next one. Why now? Why so early? I still had another good eight, maybe nine years to go before that day. Oh well, I guess it means little now."

"Issei…"

"Mother? I truly am dead. At the very least, I'll be able to make up for lost time."

"Would you just wake up already, you pathetic sack of shit?"

His eyes immediately open upon hearing such expressive terms being directed at his person and he finds himself looking into the eyes of an all too familiar brunette. She bursts into laughter as soon as she sees the bizarre face he makes from hearing her words. She puts her hand over her mouth and tries her best to muffle the noise to no avail. She soon finds herself on the floor, unable to hold back the cacophonous cackles.

"Yeah. Ha, ha. Very funny. I'm a comedic wonder," he says as he sits up on the infirmary bed.

"Wait a moment," he interjects as he begins to look around. "Why am I in the nurse's office?"

"You fainted in the lobby so I was forced to drag you here. You're a lot heavier than you look, you know," she says as she's finally able to breathe, lifting herself up from off the floor by supporting herself on the nurse's desk.

"Fainted in the lobby?," he asks. His eyes widen in realization, "The letter!"

"It wasn't really a letter, so to speak."

"A miniature poster with a picture and writing on it. Look, it doesn't really matter. We can work out the details later. I need to… hold on. How do you know that?"

She opens up one of the cabinets and produces a smartphone, taps the photo gallery app, and quickly finds what she's looking for. She turns the screen around and shows him. Without a doubt, it was the drawing he had made during lunch break. Same handwriting and everything, along with that big, unmistakable, black _**PAS **_that served, almost as an artist's signature. Seeing this, he exclaims, "Why do you have that picture of my drawing?! Why does she _have_ my drawing?! Why did I _make_ that drawing?!"

"Why are _you_ shouting like an idiot?!," she interjects. "I took a picture of it when she wasn't looking, alright?"

"But how'd she get it?," he asks, finally making use of his inside voice.

"You tell me. All I saw was that it went flying past her like some sort of paper plane and then landed right in front of her. She picked it up and, while she was examining it, I snuck up to get a good look. I knew it was your handiwork the moment I saw it. So, I quietly took a picture of it when no one was paying attention. No flash," she says as she waves her phone around, the sunlight reflecting from off her glasses, "'cuz that's how I roll."

"But how did…? The wind," he says ominously.

"Umm… How did the wind what?"

"No!," he exclaims. "The wind! The wind blew my drawing into her possession!"

She stares at him with a noticeable look of concern. Taking a brief pause, she asks him, "...is that supposed to be another one of your poetic metaphors?"

"No!," he exclaims once more, hiding his face in his hands and tilting his head back in frustration. "Just let me explain."

"Explain away, good buddy," she says, gesturing for him to calm down.

"Alright. While I was on the roof of the school."

"_That's _where you were? How did you get onto the roof?"

"I'm the Japanese Miles Morales!," he remarks harshly with an evident gaze of distress. "Listen. Could you please not interrupt me?"

"Fine. I'm sorry. Go on."

"Alright. While I was on the roof of the school, I managed to catch a glimpse of Rias Gremory and, I don't know. I began to feel inspired. So I quickly made a drawing of her and finished it by paraphrasing an old French love song."

"A love song?," she asks. "Which one?"

"La vie en rose by Édith Piaf. It's one of my personal favorites. Nevertheless, I was… disheartened by the cruel reality that a guy like me'd never even get the chance to speak to her, much less directly confess. So I carefully ripped the page from out my notebook and let the wind blow it away. I expected it to, at the most, end up lining the nest of some angry hornets. But lo and behold, it's landed in the hands of the last person who should've ever laid eyes upon it," he says as his head slouches down. He runs his hands through his hair and lets out a notable sigh. "Now what am I going to do?"

"Why can't you just tell her it was you?," she casually asks him.

"Have you gone absolutely mad?," he responds, his voice rising in pitch. "That's completely out of the question."

"But why?," she asks.

"Is the reason truly so ambiguous to you?," he asks in a frustrated tone, his fingers curling forward as it looks like he's about to dig his nails into his face. "She'd reject me without a second thought."

He looks up at the roof in melancholy. His eyes go blank, almost as if he were in a trance. Without a word of warning, he stands upon his two feet. His hands begin to dance in marvelous gesture as the words begin to flow from within him and he begins to speak. "And what blame could be attested upon her good conscience? In a sea of lordly and opulent young swains who no doubt make known to her their communal predilection, I'm nothing but a single solitary drop. Not akin to those that float on the very top along with the sea foam, no. I'm the drop at the very bottom. The thought of which claims no slot in the space of anyone's mind. The one who's lot is cast with the sand that covers the ocean floor. Sad and solemn witness to the rotting carcasses whose sinking flesh submerges itself in the darkness to make their resting place among the breathless and bereft of all life. Gone to meet their maker, so sweet an end to such stark strife. Her? She's a star. Her place is among the heavens, far from such an ill-fated and untimely wastrel like myself. Enthroned upon the mantle of Elysium. Blessed child of Arcadia. She springs from Eden as the agile doe does from her woodland home. And, oh, that I were but a splinter on the stem of a fallen twig, that I might gaze at her artly majesty from among the meadow's canvas. But alas, her grandeur sublime, illustriousness divine, the right to regard her in sight of one's eyes. These might yet be another's. An admirer's, or a lover's. A sovereign sister's, a blood brother's; but not Issei's, not mine." His head lies slouched forward as his hands are balled up into fists against his chest.

He sits back on the infirmary bed and presses his chin over his hands, his elbow supporting itself upon his lap. Suddenly, he finds himself interrupted by the sound of someone clapping. Coming back into his present reality, he once again takes notice of his brunette friend.

"That was amazing," she tells him.

"Don't patronize me, Kiryuu. I've had enough of that all my life," he says as he stares off into the wall.

"Patronize?," she asks in stupefaction, her eyes widening.

She rolls her eyes and, taking one last look at him, she proceeds to get closer. "Issei, Issei, Issei," she says with notable weariness.

"What?," he asks. "Let me guess, you're going to tell me once again how I'm," but before he can even finish his sentence, he feels what seem like two arms wrap around him at the same time that he perceives the presence of something soft against his cheek. His eyes widen as his ears begin to recognize the unmistakable thumping of a human heart.

"I'm-I'm-I'm," he gets stuck repeating. Before he can even fully react to the situation, his ears perk up to the sensation of someone running their fingers through his hair. He then feels as those same fingers come under his chin, and tilt his head up so as to look at Kiryuu in the eyes.

She goes back to caressing his hair as she warmly smiles at him, "What's a girl to do with you?"

"What's this feeling?," he thinks to himself. "Like a blast of warmth in the cold. That soothing voice. It's almost enough to remind me of," but while his memories transfigure the form of Kiryuu's face into one that he'd sworn to forget, the cruel actuality dawns on him once again. "No," he thinks to himself. "You've been through this before, Issei. You're not going to make that same mistake again."

"Kiryuu," he says to her.

"Yeah?," she replies. "What is it?"

Her warm smile begins to grow as her heart begins to relish the possibility that her feelings may have gotten through to him; but his heart cannot answer hers. Not now, and maybe not ever.

He grabs her arms, "I told you," and pulls them from off of him, "to not patronize me."

Her eyes widen in awe and confusion as she looks back into his eyes…, they seem so sad to her. They aren't the eyes of a boy in love, but rather those of one who doesn't believe in it.

He stands up from off the infirmary bed and, looking directly at her, asks, "Where's my drawing, Kiryuu?"

She fully knows now that it's hopeless. There's something blocking her but she can't seem to figure out what. It's in his gaze, a gaze she's never seen in him. Cold and cautious.

She lowers her head and defiantly answers him, "What makes you think I know?! So what if she finds out you made that for her?! What? Is she really that special to you?! You've only ever seen her from afar and she's never even noticed you! Does she really mean that much to you?! Look at you! You're a sad little poet dedicating verses to a girl who couldn't give two shits about what happens to you! Nevermind the kindness I did to you by dragging you all the way here! But of course_ I_ don't get a word of thanks, do I?! No, you just want to go ahead and sulk over a stupid drawing, some stupid lyrics, that you dedicated to someone who will never… love you."

He's taken aback by her words. She's misunderstood. He hasn't known how to phrase that which he truly wanted to say. How to make her understand? He must reorder his thoughts, reorganize his words, and articulate his expression so that there can be no underlying subtext to what he truly means.

"No… No, Kiryuu. It's not that. It's…"

"I don't wanna hear it!"

But she won't be giving him any opportunity for clarification. Having made known her refusal to listen to him, she turns around and neglects to look at him in the slightest. Now it is he who knows it's hopeless. Should he have accepted her advances? Should he have taken her affections in stride? He doesn't know. Such a thing may remain an uncertainty all his life. One thing, however, is certain. He needs to get that drawing back. He can't let _them_ know where he is. A girl like her's too popular, her family name is too well-known. High school gossip spreads like wildfire. Set just one blade of grass ablaze, disregard it for even a second, and before you know it, the whole forest's become an unquenchable inferno that'll have everybody's and anybody's attention. Is he overreacting? Maybe. Maybe this'll all blow over in a week and nobody'll say anything about it. Maybe they won't even think of mentioning it. Just maybe; but that's just one "maybe" he isn't going to bet on. He's hurt her, he knows it; but there isn't any time for that now.

He grabs his school bag which was conveniently located beside the infirmary bed and walks toward the exit. As he slides open the door, he hears her voice.

"The old school building. That's where I heard your drawing's being kept. On the southern part of the Academy wall, there's a hole behind some bushes that should let you sneak in without being seen. How you get in and out of that old place is your problem."

He looks back and finds her still giving his back to him.

"Thank you," he responds to her. "I'll return the favor… one day."

But unbeknownst to either of them, as a shadowy figure stands eavesdropping on them from just outside the door, that day's arrival will be much sooner than they could ever come to expect.


	3. Chapter 3 - Tu t'appelles comment ?

**Chapter Three - Tu t'appelles comment ?**

"Just get in, get rid of it, get out. Just get in, get rid of it, get out. Just get in, get rid of it, get out," he thinks to himself as he nears the southern wall where Kiryuu told him a hole could be found.

"You've gone absolutely mad this time, Hyoudou. Why can't you just let things be? It's just a drawing. Just a drawing?," he thinks in his internal monologue. "It's evidence of your presence! It's a clue to your whereabouts that you can't let _them_ have. You have to get rid of it! But what if you get caught?." he interjects to himself. "Then you'll run away! You'll run away like before! You'll get out of town and move somewhere else! You'll head north to Hokkaido as far away from the capital and Kuoh as possible! They'll never bother to look for you there!"

He spreads apart a pair of bushes and sees the somewhat sizeable hole. Too sizeable to be negligible; but that's the Student Council's problem, not his.

He crouches down and begins to drag himself through the hole.

"You can't keep living like this, Hyoudou. A life on the run is no life at all," he thinks to himself. "But what choice do you have?"

It doesn't help that the walls for the southern part are at least a meter thick. Which just begs the question of how someone even made a hole big enough to crawl through in the first place without ever getting caught. But he has to focus.

He's wearing gym clothes. A gray jacket and some sweatpants along with a Kabuki mask so that no one will recognize him. Of course, with a get up like that, he'll get chased down and arrested on the spot. Which is why it's all the more important to not get caught.

As he finally gets across behind some bushes, he kneels and begins to scan the area. No one. He checks his watch.

14:57

"Extracurricular clubs should already be well underway and won't finish for another hour or so," he thinks to himself. "You have to be as far away from here as possible before then."

He stealthily makes his way to the old school building, sticking close to the bushes and trees that line the outer part of the campus. He reaches it and begins to marvel at it.

"Whoah," he thinks to himself. "I know it's technically supposed to be a school building but I wasn't counting on it being so big. Three stories and all laid out in a quaint, Victorian-England style of architecture. Everything's huge. Even the windows. Not to mention that clock tower. Do I just walk in through the front door like I own the place? Judging from the vines, this place has long been abandoned. Everyone should already be in their clubrooms and I'm all alone out here."

He begins to make his way up the steps leading to the front door but stops to think.

"Why would it be here, though? Did Kiryuu lie to me? But why would she? Maybe because you rejected her advances; there's a logical guess if ever there was one."

But his train of thought is interrupted by the sound of someone opening a window. Almost as if acting on instinct, he hides himself behind the stairs and begins to look to see where the sound came from. His eyes look upward and find her, her crimson mane blowing in the wind, standing in front of the open window.

"There's the devil in my details," he thinks to himself. "And unlike myself, she actually _does _own the place."

He crouches down behind the stairs and starts to think. "She's here! Why? There are no clubs in that old, rundown place. On the bright side, if she's here, then so's my drawing, which means Kiryuu didn't lie to me."

He inches himself up just so he can catch the slightest glimpse of the window one last time. She's isn't there anymore!

"Shit!," he thinks to himself. "Okay. Calm down. Let's analyze the situation. She's in there, somewhere. You know that for sure. The front door's probably locked. However…" He looks at the vines. "That clock tower may be a different story altogether. You've got this, Hyoudou. It's like scaling the academy roof. Only not _as_ dangerous."

He quickly runs for the vines and begins to climb them. As he's about to reach the roof, one of them snaps and he starts to fall. His pumping adrenaline makes him latch onto a more solid one and keeps him from hitting the ground. His palms begin to burn from the friction, but his grip doesn't give way. Still pumping with more adrenaline, he reaches the roof and begins to breathe deeply to try and calm himself down.

"That…was…stupid of you!," he thinks to himself. "But no matter. You're already up here."

He gets up and begins to look around the clock tower. He can't believe his eyes. There are windows on the back part of it. He reaches forward to open them and discovers that, "They're unlocked! Yes!"

But they're not windows. As he opens them, he discovers a spiral staircase leading to what would most likely be the second floor of the building. He's got no time to lose. He quickly makes his way down the staircase, only to find himself confronted by a new dilema. "Where would she even keep it?"

However, that's not the only problem. "Why is it so dark in here?," he thinks to himself. The only light available to him is the light of the sun shining through the windows. He looks around and finds that the Victorian style of the school building isn't just limited to the exterior. "Even the furniture," he thinks to himself.

He begins to walk around the second floor and soon enough, finds himself in front of a double door which would most likely have been the entrance to the principal's office.

"If I wanted to keep a document safe, no doubt I'd do it in there," he thinks to himself. He takes three steps toward it but is taken aback by the sound and sight of the knob turning. Once again, his instincts send him down the hall and behind a wall. He looks back and finds her walking out. He waits as she walks down the adjacent hall and disappears into the darkness. He quietly makes his way back to the door and opens it. He can't believe his eyes, laying over what he assumes is the principal's desk is his drawing. In front of the desk are two sofas on either side of a small table. The room's completely dark save for the light produced by two candle trees. There's a window, but the curtains have been rolled over it.

"Is she really that interested in it?," he thinks to himself as he examines the layout of the situation. "To be studying it under candlelight like a scholar does the manuscript of an old master. Does it truly hold so much meaning to her? And while the sun is shining just outside?"

He begins to blush under his mask as he entertains the thought that mayhaps his feelings mean something to that ruby-haired maiden.

"Then…should I destroy it? I mean…Would it be right to?" But he quickly dashes those thoughts away. "Focus, Hyoudou! You've been over this. You can't take any chances."

He looks over to the candle trees and in that very moment, he knows what he's going to do. He takes the drawing in his hand and holds it over the flames just high enough to keep it from burning.

« La vie en rouge, » ("Life in red,") he says to himself in a low voice. « J'aimerais te présenter à la mort en feu. » ("I'd like to introduce you to death on fire.") He lowers the drawing into the flames and sets it ablaze. Quickly, he opens the window and lets the smoke out through there. Once it's burnt enough, he extinguishes the flames and begins to blow on the embers until nothing but ash blowing in the wind is left.

« C'est fini, » ("It's over,") he thinks to himself. "Now all that's left is to get out of here and forget all about this."

« Alors, je suppose que c'était à toi ce dessin, n'est-ce pas ? » ("So, I assume that drawing was yours, wasn't it?")

He looks toward the office entrance and finds her standing there with her arms crossed over her chest, a notable look of anger and annoyance smeared across her face.

« Néanmoins, ça ne te donnait pas le droit de le mettre en feu ! » ("Nevertheless, that didn't give you the right to set it on fire!")

She starts walking toward him as he starts to step away from her. "Shit! Shit! Shit! Think, Hyoudou! You need to get out of here and fast!"

Immediately, he tries to bolt for the window, but finds it locked.

"What?," he thinks. "I _just_ opened this a second ago. How the hell?"

He sees her coming closer to him. Her eyes seem to glow red.

"Damn it, Hyoudou. Now is _not_ the time to be seeing things."

He waits for her to come a bit closer and then makes a dash for the double doors. As if possessed, they begin to try and close on him; but he makes it out just before they can block him off completely.

"What the hell was that just now?," he asks himself. However, he begins to see a red light beginning to emanate from just behind the doors. "How about you don't ask and don't stay to find out, either?"

He makes a break for the staircase leading to the clock tower. She's already seen him, but maybe he can get out the same way he came in. He reaches the spiral staircase and begins to run up the stairs. He reaches the doors. They're still open! He's going to make it. He's almost there; but they close on him, leaving him enshrouded in darkness. Immediately, two bright red lines appear in front of the doors. They expand and reveal what look like two big eyes without pupils. In that very moment, the pupils appear staring at the space just above him, but then they lower to look at him, and he begins to hear her voice.

"You can't be the secret admirer _and _play hard to get."

He feels a chill run down his spine. He takes three steps back, but begins to notice as the clock tower lights up. More red eyes without pupils begin to appear on the walls surrounding him.

"Even going so far as to wear a disguise so you wouldn't be recognized. Nevertheless, you're not even trying to blend in. Or did you want to attract attention? If that's how it is, then go ahead." The eyes' pupils begin to appear and look straight at him. "You now have my undivided attention."

As soon as she speaks those words. The wooden tiles that make up the spiral staircase begin to collapse. Seeing this, he starts to run down the stairs as they fall down from under him. He reaches the second floor once more and begins to look for a window to jump out of. He darts to the left. He sees a pair of curtains and immediately throws his body against them. He crashes with a loud thud as his body hits a wall. He falls onto the floor. The curtains roll away and reveal another glowing, red eye. "Ah, ah, ahh. Can't have you jumping out of the second floor window, now can we?"

He gets back up and immediately bolts for the other direction. He whizzes left and right like a madman until, without even noticing, he trips over some stairs and begins to violently fall down them. His body crashes with a loud thud against the wooden tiles of the first floor. Working through the pain of his fall, he immediately gets up and tries to run for the front door, but quickly feels a sharp pain in his ankle. He's injured it. Add to that, he notices his mask, broken in two, and lying on the floor. With quick thinking, he takes the two pieces, wraps the hood over them, and then pulls on the cords in what may just be a ditch attempt to cover his face. Limping, he tries to open the front door, but is stopped when a strange, red symbol that he's never seen before appears over it and begins to glow. He falls back onto the floor from the shock of what he's seeing.

"What's going on?", he thinks to himself. "This can't be real. What type of scopophobia induced hell is this?"

"Are you done running?," he hears her say.

"End of the line," he thinks, as he hears her footsteps descending the stairs. "This is far as you get, Hyoudou. Guess you just weren't fast enough."

He hears as her footsteps descend the last of the stairs and then stop behind him. He gets back up and, still limping, turns around. He holds his head low, looking at the floor, whilst also covering his face, just to be safe, and begins to speak. "Just let me go, please," he says to her. "I swear I'll never bother you again. Just please, forget about that drawing, forget about me, and just let me go."

In that very moment, he feels as what seem like vines wrap around his legs. He looks down in surprise to find real vines wrapped around him, sprouting up from the floor. More vines appear and pull his arms out from in front of his face.

"Maybe you really are in hell," he starts to think to himself.

Suddenly, he feels as a hand grabs him by his chin and pulls his head up. There she is. Staring at him. _Le portrait sans retouche_. _La vie en rouge_. They're practically face to face. All she has to do is slip her hand under the hood, open it up, and see his face.

"You know? I think I may just be persuaded to do that," she begins to say to him. "But on one condition." She nears her face to his and looks him right in the eye. « Dis-moi. Tu t'appelles comment ? » ("Tell me. What is your name?")


	4. Chapter 4 - The first of many troubles

**Chapter Four - The first of many troubles**

"I...beg your pardon," he says to her. Stupefied by her inquiry.

"What's your name?," she says. « Est-ce que tu ne parles pas français ? » ("Don't you speak French?")

Dazed by the unexpected question. He nods his head and responds. « Oui...oui. Bien sûr que oui. » ("Yes...yes. Of course I do.")

« Parfait, » ("Perfect,") she responds. « Alors, dis-moi comment tu t'appelles. Tu sais comment on se présente, oui ? » ("So, tell me what your name is. You do know how to introduce yourself, right?")

Once more, he nods. Entranced by her smile and aquamarine eyes. « Oui, je sais, » (Yes, I know,") he responds. « Mais je crains que je ne puisse pas vous dire comment je m'appelle. » ("But I'm afraid I can't tell you what my name is.")

Upon saying this, he feels the vines tighten around him as her aquamarine eyes become flaming carbuncles. She closes her eyes while making an angry smile. "Let me see if I understand," she says as she starts to pace back and forth in front of him. "You _sneak_ into the academy. Into the old school building. By way of the clock tower, no less. Burn a very flattering, very heart-warming piece of art along with the written confession that accompanied it. One which I was so happily admiring under the light of some dazzling, three-forked candelabra. Run from me. Try to escape the same way you came in. One nasty fall down a flight of stairs later, you find yourself wrapped in vines and your mask practically torn to pieces; and all _I_ ask is your name. All this, and yet you somehow think you can still give yourself the luxury of not answering my one, solemn question. Is that the long and short of it?"

"Well...I mean," he says; but can't really seem to articulate his words. "Is it normal for a woman to appear so beautiful even though she's visibly infuriated?," he thinks to himself. "Are you fucking kidding me right now, Hyoudou?!," he interjects to himself. "Listen to me. I need you to bust out all of that oratory talent you got there in the back of that genetically deficient brain of yours and give her a reason to not turn us in to the police. Can you do that for me?"

"Well…," he then hears her say. He looks back up at her. She's looking at him with a face of harsh suspicion. "What? Are you giving me the silent treatment now?"

He takes in a deep breath and begins to speak. "Described in so asperous a manner and it is plainly visible in what way my actions may be contemplated as being loathsome, irredeemable, and outright damnable. Howbeit, I implore that you might take into scrutiny the ends at which I sought to arrive. I meant only to shelter my identity and my whereabouts. Please, do not misinterpret those words. I am neither a criminal nor an unruly, anarchic ne'er-do-well. I'm just a simple schoolboy running from the ghosts of his commiserative past. I can't tell you my name, not because I don't wish for you to know; but out of fear that _others_ may find out. As for your appreciation of my work. I thank you a thousand times over. Never in my life would I have imagined that so resplendent a damsel such as yourself would ever even give it the time of day to take so much as a passing glance. It...gratifies me to know that those words meant that much to you. To say that I'm overjoyed would be an understatement. I think I may just be happier now than in any other time in my life. Nevertheless, for as much as I want you to know, I'm afraid I can't tell you my name."

He hangs his head low in shame. "That's about all I'm able to muster," he thinks to himself. "Oh well. I'm sure I'll get accustomed to prison food pretty quickly. On the bright side, looks like I'll be following in Mr. Mandela's footsteps after all."

"...incredible…," he hears her say.

He looks back up in shock. "What?," he says.

"Incredible," she repeats. Looking at him with a gaze of astonishment, she asks, "Where did you learn to speak like that?"

Looking back down at the floor, and blushing a bit behind the mask, he responds to her. "I...know it isn't normal for most boys my age to do so. But ever since I was a child, I've dreamt of being a great public speaker. To that end, I've read, and read, and read, and read. I've studied the world's greatest speeches and speakers. Demosthenes and his call to action to fight against Philip of Macedon, Cicero's 'Catiline Orations' and how he so eloquently exposed a plot to overthrow the Roman government. Granted he himself documented the event, but that's a debate for another time. William Jennings Bryan and his 'Cross of Gold Speech',"

"Winston Churchill?," she chided in.

"A man who needs no introduction," he answered. "Frederick Douglass. So well spoken was he that it didn't occur to anyone that he might have once been a slave. Nelson Mandela, South Africa's first black president twenty-seven years in the making. I could go on and on. These men are my _sensei_. My masters. And I have studied them and their works for as long as I can remember. I dream of one day being just like them. I...seek to inspire others. To be the spokesman of a just cause." He sticks his head up, and as tears roll down his eyes, he says, "Though now I may seem like a criminal, an animal, in all of my ways. I dream of being a warrior, a fighter, in such darkest of days. To be that one lonely light that keeps on shining even if the sunshine should wilt away."

He stays staring off into the roof. Seconds pass and he snaps out of his stunned state. "I'm sorry," he says. "I...seemed to have lost myself there."

"No," she responds. "It's alright. There's no need to apologize," she says as she smiles.

He feels the grips around his arms and legs loosen as the vines begin to slip back into the ground.

"If anything," she begins to say as she gets closer to him, "I'm the one who should be sorry for chasing you down like a wild animal."

"You needn't apologize," he responds. "That drawing meant a lot to you and I failed to take your feelings into consideration."

"Still," she says as she begins to sway from side to side, her arms behind her back, "there's still one final problem."

"What?," he asks. "If I can make it up to you in any way, I'll…" but before he can finish his sentence, her hands grab him by the cheeks as his eyes are drawn to her warm smile.

"Everything you've just told me has only served to make me want to know your name even more. But you say you can't tell me, so...could I at least…?"

She hesitates for a moment, but regains her determination. "I want to see your face. You can at least let me know what you look like, right?"

He begins to doubt, "She's going to take a picture and send it to the police, Hyoudou. Think about it. A girl like her would never in a million years fall for someone like you. It's a trap. I'm telling you, it's a trap. Do not take off that mask, do you hear me? She's practically letting you go. Run. Run like the dirty, little back alley dog you've always been, damn it. Go home, pack your things, and it's north to Hokkaido like you said."

"Well," she says. "How about it?"

Looking at her warm smile so close to him, he betrays his instincts. "No," he thinks to himself. "A life on the run is no life at all. I won't run anymore. I don't want to run anymore. Running is all I've ever known and I've grown tired of it. If this is a sign, then from now on, I'm facing things head on."

He holds the pieces in place with one hand and begins to open up the hoodie.

"You're a stupid, stupid, stupid boy, Hyoudou. Take off that mask and she'll repudiate you without a second thought. You truly think she'll love you? You're an outcast! A vagabond! A miserable little welp! All you're doing is setting yourself up for rejection!," his insecurities yell at him. But he's come too far. "Rejection is something I can live with. It's something I've been living with all my life," he says to himself. "But what I won't live with is regret."

With the hoodie open, he lets the pieces fall and leaves only his hands covering his face. "Whenever you're ready," he says to her, "pull my hands out from in front of me. But be warned, I'm not much to look at."

She simply smiles at him.

He feels a pair of hands wrap around his wrists and begin to pull. "This is it," he says to himself. "No turning back. She's going to see your face; and whatever happens, happens."

Their eyes meet with one another as she finally brings his hands out from in front of his face. His hazel eyes seem to almost mix with her gazing aquamarines. Silence. Her pupils move from one side to another as she meticulously takes in every detail of his timid gaze. His eyebrows are raised in uncertainty; but his eyes don't lower, don't falter. Without warning, she lets go of his wrists and intertwines her fingers with his as she squeezes their palms together.

"I knew it," she says smiling. "It is you."

His eyes widen in shock. "You...recognize me?"

She nods her head. "How could I not? It's hard to forget you."

"But when would you have seen…?"

But his question is cut short by the startling sound of the school bell, announcing the end of extracurricular activities for the day.

"Shit!," he thinks. "How much time did we spend talking?"

"Four o'clock already?," she asks. "That sure was quick."

"I have to go!" he interjects. "If I get caught, it's more than likely I'll be expelled. Don't tell anyone about this, okay? I wish we could talk some more, but I really need to…"

But taking a step back toward the door, he receives a painful reminder that he's in no shape to be going anywhere. He falls to his knee as what feels like a spear is thrust through his ankle.

"Are you alright?," she asks.

He grabs his leg. "It's my ankle," he says. He grabs the leg of his sweatpants and rolls it up. He undoes his laces and carefully slips off his shoe. He begins to open up his sock just enough to see his ankle. It's red!

"You're injured!," she exclaims.

"Yeah," he replies as he begins to nonchalantly scratch his head. "Looks like I'm getting expelled after all. Probably deserved it too. That's what I get for sneaking on school property."

He tilts his head up and finds her looking at him with a face of utter stupefaction. "What?," he asks.

"You're wounded and _that _is your reaction? _Those _are the very first thoughts that run through your mind?"

"I'm just being realistic," he responds. "There's no way I'm getting out of here with an injured ankle. Much less now that clubs have been dismissed. This is as far as I get."

"We'll see about that," she says to him as she kneels over to his side and begins to slip her hands under him.

"Hey now," he says in surprise. "You don't have to do this. Just let me…"

But before he can finish, he finds himself lifted up from off the floor. His eyes widen in shock at the sight of it all.

"Impressive, wouldn't you say?," she asks as she makes a smug smile at him.

"Supernatural," he responds. "I know this might seem obvious at this point; but you're not human, are you?"

"Do these answer your question?"

He hears a sound quite similar to the flapping of wings. He looks behind her and finds two black wings sprouting from the lower part of her back.

"Don't be scared," she says to him. "I'll make sure you don't fall."

Before he can so much as utter a word of protest, she launches herself through the air. She whizzes up the stairs, flies through the second floor, swirls up the clock tower, and heads out to the sky.

"You're not afraid of heights, right?," she asks as she begins to rise even higher.

"I think it's a little too late to be asking that question," he replies. "But no."

"Good," she says. "So. Where are we headed?"

And as he guides her to his home, he thinks to himself, "So much for setting myself up for rejection, huh?"

Mayhaps now he can heal. Mayhaps now he can move on. But I fear, Dear Reader, that _that_ would be all too easy. May our friend, Issei, enjoy and savor this moment. For though he may have conquered this hurdle of insecurity. That one was just the first of many troubles.


	5. Chapter 5 - Não chore mais pelo passado

**Chapter Five - Não chore mais pelo passado**

"So I can't even walk around without having either them or their gazes follow me around. It's maddening sometimes."

"So you **do** suffer from scopophobia," he replies.

"What would lead you to believe that?"

"When you started putting eyes everywhere to look at me. Oftentimes, what one person uses to frighten another speaks more about them as opposed to their victim. I guess the phrase: 'All eyes on me' isn't really all too present in your immediate lexicon."

"So am I to believe you're a psychoanalyst as well as an orator?," she asks.

"Nothing of the sort," he replies. "But a great orator must undoubtedly know how to work a crowd. For this, an understanding of the human psyche is vital. As for psychoanalysis."

He pauses for a moment before responding. "I guess Mr. Freud's teachings rubbed off on me a bit **too **well."

"You've read Freud?," she asks.

"I read Freud," he responds.

"Is that what you were reading when you drew out your feelings on that card?"

He blushes for a moment and shyly responds. "No. It was Animal Farm by George Orwell."

"Is there anything you don't read?," she asks.

"Minds," he replies.

"A comedian as well, I see. Your parents must be quite proud of you. What are they like, by the way?"

But Issei is forced to cut their pleasant small-talk short when he recognizes the roof of the apartment complex where he lives. "Down there," he interjects. "That's where I live. We should land where no one can see us."

Rias promptly obliges and proceeds to land behind some trees. She lets him down and puts his arm over her shoulder.

"You don't have to do that. I can walk just fine," says Issei; but Rias shakes her head. "It's my fault you're hurt. The least I could do is help you walk to your front door."

"Well," says Issei, but he's forced to suppress his chivalrous ways on account of Rias' potent glare. "If you insist. We don't have far to go. It's the left-most door," he indicates. Quickly, they cross the street, and Issei can't help but blush red with every step they take.

"Please don't let anyone see us," he thinks to himself. They reach the door, Issei takes out his keys but, — Boa tarde, Issei! Tudo bem? ("Good afternoon, Issei! All good?,") rings a voice from the right.

Rias looks in that same direction to see who it is as Issei makes a face of distress. "So close," he thinks to himself. Nevertheless, he kindly greets his neighbor. — Boa tarde, Senhor Nakamura. Estou bem, obrigado. E o senhor? ("Good afternoon, Mr. Nakamura. I'm fine, thank you. And yourself?")

— O SENHOR está no céu. Você acha que sou velho? Chame-me Casimiro, por favor. (The LORD* is in Heaven. Do you think I'm old? Call me Casimiro, please.)

— Desculpa. Boa tarde, Casimiro. (I'm sorry. Good afternoon, Casimiro.)

— Muito melhor. Então, não vai apresentar sua namorada? (Much better. So then, aren't you going to introduce your girlfriend?)

— Minha namorada? ("My girlfriend?,") thinks Issei. He's suddenly reminded of the situation when he sees Rias holding out her hand to greet Mr. Nakamura. — Boa tarde ("Good afternoon,") she says to him. — O meu nome é Rias Gremory. Prazer em conhecê-lo, Senhor Nakamura. (My name is Rias Gremory. Pleased to meet you, Mr. Nakamura.)

The forty-something Brazilian-Japanese man is taken aback by her greeting. Quickly, he shakes her hands whilst also bowing his head. — Prazer em conhecê-la também, Senhora Gremory. (It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Ms. Gremory.)

"Charmed, I'm sure," thinks Issei to himself as he's taken by surprise by Mr. Nakamura's formality with Rias.

— Espere um momento. A senhora disse Gremory? Como os Gremory Hotels? (Wait a moment. Did the lady say Gremory? Like the Gremory Hotels?)

"He even used 'A senhora' with her," thinks Issei as he hangs his head low.

— Sim. Meu pai é o propriétario. ("Yes. My father is the owner,") she says, blushing from the embarrassment.

Mr. Nakamura's eyes widen as he begins to look between Issei and Rias. Suddenly, he gets on one knee and bows his head. — Muito obrigado, Senhora Gremory! Cuide bem dele! Nunca tem conhecido o amor de uma mãe! Tenho tentado ser como um pai pra ele mas não é a mesma coisa! Muito obrigado, Senhora Gremory! Muito obrigado! ("Thank you so much, Ms. Gremory! Take good care of him! He's never known a mother's love! I've tried to be like a father for him, but it's not the same thing! Thank you so much, Ms. Gremory! Thank you!")

Rias turns her head back to look at Issei. — Nunca tem conhecido o amor de uma mãe? Tentado ser como um pai pra ele? ("Never known a mother's love? Tried to be like a father for him?,") she thinks.

Mr. Nakamura grabs a bike that was in front of his door and begins to head for the main street. Before he does, he walks to Issei and puts his hand on his shoulder.

— Parabéns, Issei. Tenho certeza de que vocês dois serão muito felizes assim que não chore mais pelo passado. ("Congratulations, Issei. I'm sure you two will be very happy, so don't cry for the past anymore.")

With this said, he mounts his bike and begins to pedal off. As soon as she's certain that Mr. Nakamura is no longer within earshot, she asks Issei, "Issei, so that's your name. That man, Mr. Nakamura, does he mean what I think he means?," with a face of visible concern. Issei lowers his head and begins to scratch the back of his neck as he closes his eyes and sighs. After a few seconds, he makes a melancholic smile, opens his eyes, and looks at her. "Well, you were bound to find out sooner or later. Honestly, I was thinking about how I should best tell you on the flight over here. Then you asked about them and it caught me off guard. The last thing I expected was that Mr. Nakamura would end up telling you. Though, it'd be unfair to blame him. I'm certain he assumed you already knew."

Rias stands there, speechless. After a few moments, she begins to speak. "I'm…so sorry to hear that. I…had no idea that you were-I mean, that you're an…,"

"Orphan?," he responds. "Don't worry. It's not your fault. If anything, I'm the one who should apologize for keeping it a secret,"

"No…no. Not at all. I…," and without even realizing it, she steps forward and grabs him by the hand. Looking into his eyes, she tells him, "It...isn't your fault. But, I mean, how did you meet him? Does he pay your rent or?"

"Would you like to come inside?," he asks her. "I can explain everything. I'll answer all your questions, but you have to promise to not tell anyone."

Without hesitation, she responds, "I promise."

The next few moments seem to pass by like a blur. Issei opens the door, they both take off their shoes and leave them in the entrance hall. Before they know it, they're both sitting in the _Rokujō_, seiza style, surrounded by the tatami mats, nothing but a small kotatsu table between them.

"It all began around five years ago, I think. I must've been about twelve or eleven years old," he begins to tell her. "I had just arrived here in Kuoh town."

"By yourself?"

"Yes. I'd been a wayfarer for as long as I could remember by that time. I was just passing by Kuoh town. I never expected to stay."

"So," she begins to ask. "How did you meet Mr. Nakamura?"

"He found me. I was rustling through some garbage behind a convenience store, looking for enough of a meal to make the trip to the next town. It was raining and I was, like so many countless nights before, cold and desperate. It was in that moment that he found me. Seeing me in that condition, he asked me where my parents were. I told him the truth. I didn't have any. I was just looking for enough food to make it to the next town over. I probably wouldn't have made it anyway. The malnourishment as well the ever-present fever I had then were already taking more than their toll on me."

"What happened next?"

"I collapsed. From the hunger, the fever, probably both. When I awoke, I was at his house. The very same one you saw him come out of. He cared for me until I got better. When the time would've come for me to leave, he…" Issei's lips begin to twitch as the tears begin to cover his cheeks. "He offered me the chance to stay. Before I knew it, we were at the registration office filling out the adoption forms. It was then that I received my adoptive name, João Nakamura."

"But wait," she interjects. "If he gave you that name, and if he had adopted you, I mean, what happened? Why do you have your original name again? And why are you living apart from him? How are you living apart from him?"

"It was the discrimination I faced," he responds.

"Discrimination?," she asks.

"Your father's made a great name for himself, so I doubt you've experienced it during your time here in Japan," he says to her. "But Japan's very xenophobic. When I was finally admitted into a local school, I was barely able to learn anything due to the fact that the teachers didn't see me as a student, they barely saw me as a citizen."

"But why? He's half-Japanese, isn't he?"

"You see it as half-Japanese. They saw it as half a foreigner. My first name and second language didn't help, either. As you can imagine, apart from the name, dad also taught me Portuguese. I was still young, so it was easy to pick it up; but it came with the consequence of not being accepted by the rest of society. It didn't really bother me since, having been an orphan on the run for so long, I was used to it. Nevertheless, dad took me out of the public school system and decided to homeschool me. He taught me math, science, history, philosophy, arts, French, and English. It was through that same homeschooling that I discovered my love for public-speaking and I decided that I wanted to become an orator. I wouldn't enter into a formal school again until recently, when Kuoh Academy announced that they would no longer be a girls only school. By that time, dad had already had my name changed back and we applied. I was accepted based on my entrance exam and, well…the rest is history. Still, to keep me safe from being discriminated against, I live here."

"How does he afford it?"

"He actually works with a non-profit organization that seeks to offer assistance to marginalized minority groups living in Japan. This apartment complex was donated to him, in fact. When in public, I address him as my neighbor. In private, I treat him like my dad."

The next few moments are followed by silence as Rias processes everything she's just been told. Issei just stares down at the table. Breaking the silence, Issei says, "That's why I…told you to forget about me. We're from two different worlds, you and I. You're the heiress of a very prosperous company and, come graduation day, you'll be Kuoh Academy's valedictorian, too. Me? I'm just a foolish boy running from the past. Chasing a dream he might never be able to have. I'm already a burden for dad, I don't want to be burden for anyone else. You've already done more than enough for me by not turning me in to the police, bringing me back home safe, and promising to not tell this to anyone. I just wish I had some way to repay you."

He hadn't noticed it but, whilst he was staring down at the table, Rias had made her way to his side. Before he can look up, he feels as someone wraps their arms around him. Taken by surprise, he looks around and finds Rias' face just in front of his, mere inches apart. A strong blush immediately overtakes him as he collapses from the shock and embarrassment; but Rias doesn't let him go. He feels the weight of her body on his. Namely, the feeling of her breasts pressing against his chest.

"R-R-R-Rias, y-y-y-you're o-o-on t-t-top of m-m-me."

But she ignores his words and places a hand on his cheek.

"You're just a poor, sweet child, aren't you?," she says as she begins to smile at him with half-closed eyes. "And yet you just don't give up, do you? Telling me to forget about you when all I really want is to know more. Telling me that we're from two different worlds when it's so completely obvious that those two worlds have crossed for a reason. You're so bizarre. You see yourself as someone who's weak and vulnerable, nothing more than a burden; but, in fact, you're so much stronger than you could believe, you just haven't been able to see it. Then again, you just haven't had anyone to show you."

She raises herself up a little, moves Issei's bangs out of the way, and kisses his forehead for what seems like an eternity. Her hair begins to fall around him and, before he knows it, he's surrounded by a curtain of red. As soon as her lips part from his temple, she looks back into his eyes. "You know? When Mr. Nakamura called me your _namorada_, I didn't tell you, but it actually made me really happy. And now you're asking me to forget about you? You're unreasonably cruel, you know that? First, you write that confession that wasn't even supposed to get to me. One that made my heart flutter like you could never imagine. Next thing I know, you appear as a masked vagrant, burn it, then go running off and get hurt in the process. I was so angry that I even used my powers to try and corner you off like some sort of dirty rat. I was actually worried about you when I saw you take that nasty fall. I realized that I'd gone too far. Finally, we spoke. You told me your dream. The goal for which you strive. We came here and you shed your tears in front of me as you regaled me with the accounts of your past. Do you truly believe I could bring myself to forget you after all that?"

"...I…I'm sorry," he says as he looks down at his hands. "I've done it again. I've failed to take your feelings into consideration." He looks back up at her and, as he does, the tears begin to flow again. "It's just, besides dad, I've never expected anyone to care for me. It's something I've had since I was young and I…," but he stops as soon as he sees Rias near her face more.

"Issei," she says.

— Não chore mais pelo passado. (Don't cry for the past anymore.)

But before she can close off the last bit of distance between their lips, they hear a loud crash like a window breaking. Their kiss will have to wait.

***The term "O senhor" in Portuguese has three translations. It can either be a very polite form of saying "you", it can mean "Mr." like "Mr. Nakamura", and it can also mean "LORD" as in God. If you speak Spanish, you may already be familiar with the last two, as "señor" in Spanish carries the same two meanings. When Casimiro said "O SENHOR está no céu", it was a play on words. It's one of those things that really only works in the original language and gets lost in translation. Hence, this little section down here. I hope you've been enjoying the story so far. I'll try to update as soon as possible. Have a good day.**


	6. Chapter 6 - Old debts

**Chapter Six - Old debts**

**Part One  
**"What was that?," she asks as she raises her head and looks back toward the source of the startling noise. "It sounded like it came from the kitchen," replies Issei. "It's most likely just the neighbor boys who got a little too carried away while playing baseball."

"They really should be more mindful of their surroundings, then," she responds with a visible look of annoyance. "Not to mention that they completely killed off the mood," she thinks as she laments the opportunity which was just taken away from her.

"Well, I guess I'd better give it back to them. They'll be knocking on my door soon enough, anyways," he says as he begins to stand again.

"No! Don't get up! Wait!," she starts to think in her head, but can't bring herself to say.

He slides the door open and slowly starts to limp toward the kitchen. He turns right toward the entrance, but makes a left instead of going straight. As expected, he's greeted by the oven, refrigerator, cabinets, and a bed of glass shards which lay sprawled all over the floor. He follows said glass across the floor with his gaze, but what he finds is by no means a baseball. As a matter of fact, it's not a ball at all. He walks over to it and picks it up. The surface of it is no doubt paper, but his touch confirms that what it's wrapped around is a rock. He starts to feel nervous. Turning it around in his hands, he starts looking for tape. Soon enough, he finds it and begins to slowly peel it. He digs the nail of his index finger under it and starts lifting the paper. The process is slow and unnerving. After a few seconds, he opens the paper fully and reads the contents which lie therein. His eyes grow wide in disbelief; and stumbling, he falls onto the floor, his body shaking in terror.

Rias hears the great thud and immediately gets up. "Issei. Issei, are you okay?," she starts to call out as she quickly makes her way to the kitchen. Issei looks back and immediately starts to think. "You can't let her get involved in this! I can't believe it! They've found me! They've actually found me! I told you, didn't I?," he interjects to himself. "I told you! North to Hokkaido! But no! You just _had _to play the part of the stupid, clueless lover boy! Now they've found you; and what's worse, now _she's _paying the price as well! What do I do?," he asks himself. "What do you mean what do you do? Now you run! You cut your losses and run! You didn't ask for this! You don't owe anyone anything! So you run like the luckless bastard you've always been!"

"Issei, are you okay? Are you hurt?"

Issei looks back once more to find Rias standing there with a visible face of concern. He quickly yet crudely stuffs the letter in his pocket and turns around to answer her. "Yes, yes. I'm fine. There's no need to worry," he says as he gets up; but she senses that something is wrong. Looking him in the eyes, she sees a cold stare in him. A glare as though he were dead inside, like a criminal sentenced to death who's already lost all hope.

"Listen," he says to her. "There's something very important that I have to do. I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused. I wish I could escort you home myself, but I'm afraid I won't be able to." Without even giving her a chance for rebuttal, he goes to the entrance, quickly puts on his shoes, and heads out the door, leaving it unlocked; but she notices something. A slightly crumpled up piece of paper falls out of one of the pockets of his hoodie just as he's walking out the door. She walks over to it and picks it up. A letter is written on it with magazine clippings, a technique used to prevent someone from recognizing the handwriting. She reads it:

_To Issei Hyoudou, _

_You have twenty minutes to get your ass down to the abandoned warehouses on the east side of Kuoh or else she'll be paying the price for your absence. We'll be waiting for you at warehouse 6F, so don't be late. Warning: Call the police and we shoot the bitch. _

_-Yakuza _

Under it was a photo of a brunette girl wearing the Kuoh Academy uniform. Her hands were tied behind her back and she had a blindfold on.

She quickly runs over to the door. "Issei! Wait!," she screams as she swings the door open, but she finds no one there. He's already gone. "How!?," she thinks to herself as she looks around the street. "He was limping!" But she knows that there's no time to waste. Without a second thought, she spreads her devil wings and casts a spell so as to not be seen by anyone; but not before leaving her own sheet of paper behind his door. With that done, she takes to the skies, making sure to lock up.

**Part Two  
**"Where do you think you're going? I'm going to get her out of this. You've gone mad! Don't be stupid, Issei. They'll kill you! That'd be a blessing and you know it. What about your father, Casimiro? Don't you think he'll miss you? What about your dream, huh? So have all these years been for nothing? They were going to be for nothing no matter how you look at it! I didn't have much farther to go anyway. We both knew it was going to end this way! Either they'd find me and kill me or the disease would. But, but… No!," he finally interjects to himself. "I've already made up my mind. I got her into that mess, I'm getting her out. _Vaut mieux vivre avec des remords qu'avec des regrets,_" (Better to live with remorse than with regret,) and with this renewed determination, he begins to pedal even harder, ignoring the pain in his ankle.

He reaches the abandoned warehouses and sets his bike aside. The ground is nothing but sand and pebbles and there's not a single living soul to be found. The oxidized cranes and forklifts greet him like the entourage of oblivion itself. "This is my lot," he thinks to himself as he limps onward. "To leave no legacy. To have my name and memory blotted out from the pages of mankind as though it were put there by mistake. Mayhaps I am a mistake; and my misfortune is simply creation's corrective measures. Mayhaps I wasn't meant for this world in the first place. Mayhaps this all truly is for the best," he mutters to himself as the tears roll down his face and he makes peace with his fate.

He arrives at warehouse 6F and finds a group of men, tattooed and carrying weapons, waiting outside. He walks up to them.

"Well, god damn! Would ya look at that, boys? It's li'l Isse, all grown up!"

"Oh, shit! Ya right! The spittin' image o' his father!"

"So great to see ya again, Isse. We've been oh so worried about ya. The boss has been inconsolable all these years wonderin' where his little Isse was. If he was dead or alive. After all, there's still a debt to be paid, you slimy son of a bitch," says the last man as he grabs Issei by his collar and looks him in the eye. "We was almost certain you was dead, you know? We coulda sworn that harsh winter so many years ago woulda done you in; but would ya believe it? You was here all along and in better condition to repay what ya late old man still owes. And lemme tell ya, them interest rates ain't gotten no lower. But first, you owe something to someone else. A very friendly schoolmate o' yours who was more than happy to inform us of your whereabouts."

With that said, the men hold Issei at gunpoint and lead him into the warehouse where an old man wearing a suit is waiting for him.

"On ya knees before the boss, dog," says one of the men as he kicks Issei onto the floor.

"Issei Hyoudou," says the man. "How long it's been, my boy. You can't imagine how heartbroken I was when you ran away all those years ago. I was certain you were dead, son; but how wrong I was. Look at you, all grown up, big and strong. You've been taking care of yourself. That's good," he says with a smile. "So tell me, Issei. What've you been up to?"

"Just let her go," he replies. "She's got nothing to do with this." The old man's smile quickly turns into a frown. "Seems like you've forgotten your upbringing during your time away from home, my boy; but no worries, I'll be more than happy to remind you of it. Kenji, show Issei again how it is that we're supposed to address our superiors."

In that moment, Issei feels as someone kicks him right in his ribs as hard as they can. The blow knocks all the air out of him as his body falls to the side. "You'll address the boss as 'sir', ya bastard."

Seeing this, the old man laughs. "Ha, ha, ha! Whaddaya think, Isse? Ain't it great to be home? Ya musta been missin' this all these years, huh? After all, it's like I always say, pain pays all debts," he says as he walks over to Issei's fallen body and examines his hands. "That's strange," he says. "Ten fingers? Must be my memory acting up. Never mind that now, though. Back on the topic of debts, there's someone to whom you owe a word of thanks as well as a favor. Seiji, my boy," he says as he looks behind himself. "Your little friend is here with us. Don't keep him waiting, now. Oh, and bring his sweetheart along, too. I'm sure she'll want to see him also."

In that moment, a tall boy with hair dyed blond, piercings, and shaved eyebrows appears from the darkness along with a girl who's been tied up and blindfolded.

"Now if I'm not mistaken," says the man, "you two should already be acquainted. After all, you both go to the same school. It's so good to see my little nephew Seiji making friends. Go on, Seiji. Have fun with your buddy, Issei."

Seiji leaves the girl behind, walks over to him and lifts him up by his collar. "Ya musta fought ya was real funny makin' a fool outta me dis mornin', didn't ya? Lemme tell ya somefin', ya slick bastard. I've had my eye on dat foxy mama, Rias Gremory, fo' da last monf'n a half; and da last fing I needed was some worfless nobody like you waltzin' in and stealin' da show. I mean, a portrait and a love song? How da fuck am I s'pposed to compete wit' dat? Den ya wanna go ahead and not even confess, but just take dat portrait and get rid of it all 'cuz ya don't wanna attract no attention. But demz ain't even da worst part. Imagine my surprise when one o' my boys tells me he saw ya wit'er, under ya arm, and introducin'er to ya old man!"

He brings Issei closer and looks him in the eye. "I want ya to get dis frough ya fick skull, Hyoudou. Don't nobody steal nuttin' from Seiji Shiina. Now ya got a price to pay. Uncle!," he yells at the old man. "Take da blindfold off!"

He quickly obliges and takes the blindfold off of Aika who, out of fear and disbelief, had remained silent. Seiji grabs Issei by the head and thrusts him in front of her. "Tell me, Ms. Kiryuu. Is dis or is dis not da fuckin' asshole who rejected you dis afternoon?!," barks Seiji at her as he breathes from heavily from his anger. Kiryuu is scared wordless. She says nothing. "Answa da fuckin' question, Ms. Kiryuu! IS HE OR IS HE NOT!," yells Seiji.

"Yes! Yes he is! But please! Don't hurt him!," yells Kiryuu as tears roll down her face.

"Ya heard dat, Issei?! Ya hurt'er feelin's! Ain't ya got no sense o' shame?! Looks like ol' Seiji's gonna have to teach ya some MANNAS!," he yells as he digs his knee into Issei's ribs, knocking all the air and saliva out of him. He reaches into his pocket, pulls out a pair of brass knuckles, and proceeds to punch him in the face. After which, he drags Issei to one of the metal support beams and slams him into it.

"STOP!," yells Aika, tears down her cheeks, face red, and voice shrill. "YOU'RE KILLING HIM!"

"Da fuck did ya just say?," asks Seiji, turning his head, face like that of a madman. "Dis bastard broke ya heart, didn't he? He went ahead n' basically told ya to fuck off when you'd just finished doin'im a big fava. Now ya defendin'im? Huh? Maybe you wanna join'im!," he yells as he makes his way to Aika.

"NO!," yells someone, making Seiji look behind himself. It was Issei, black and blue, beaten and bruised, limping toward Seiji. "Your plight's with me, Shiina. Leave her out of this. She's got nothing to do with it and you know it." Issei looks at Aika. "Aika. I'm so sorry that you had to get mixed up in this mess. I'm sorry I couldn't respond to your feelings; but please understand, I only did it to protect you. I didn't want this to happen to y…," but before he can finish, Seiji plants another kick in his ribs. This time, coughing up blood.

"Don't ya fuckin' ignore me, ya piece o' shit! And don't fink 'bout apologizin' neiva! S'already too late fo' dat! Ya wanna apologize, ya can do it wit' ya life! Ya'll pay back everyfin' ya owe till da day ya mind finally breaks! I might just take a few more fingas! Eiva way, ya can kiss ya life goodbye!"

With this said, Seiji brings his fist back to land the finishing blow.

"Touch him one more time and you're a dead man," says an unfamiliar voice. Everyone looks back toward the warehouse entrance. They find there a beautiful, crimson-haired woman. Hands on her hips and a vicious aura of anger surrounding her.


	7. Chapter 7 - Let me show you

**Chapter Seven - Let me show you**

"Oh me, oh my. Seiji, my boy. Is this the woman you spoke so fondly of?," asks Seiji's uncle. Seiji immediately lets go of Issei, letting him fall to his knees. "Yes. Yes she is. I'm so sorry ya had to see dis, Rias," he says as he makes his way over to her. "I woulda wanted dis to be in a more romantic locale, but some fings just gotta be taken care of personally. I didn't actually fink ya'd come all da way down here. But since ya here, den…"

"I got your message," she says as she pulls out a crumpled up piece of paper. He looks back at Issei. "Slick bastard," he says. "But dat don't really make a difference, now do it? Ya here and das all dat mattas. It's a good fing I had dis prepared for just such an occasion."

He pulls out a piece of paper that's been folded, opens it up, and begins to read:

"Y're a star. Ya place is among da heavens, far from such an ell-fatted and unteemly wasstrill like myself. Enfrowned upon da mantle of El-easy-umm. Bless said child o' Aw-kay-ja. Ya spring from Eaten as da agile dough does from'er would land home. And, oh, dat I was butta splinner on da stem of a fallen twig, dat I might gaze at ya ought lee magis tea from among da meadow's cannabis. But alas, ya granja 'sup lime, ill-ustry-issnis dee vine, da write to regard ya in sight of one's eyes. Dese might yet be anova's. An ad-myre-ruz or a lover's. A sov-rin sista's, a blood brova's; but not Seiji's, not mine."

Silence follows as even a few of the other men try to hold back their laughter from hearing Seiji struggle so much to pronounce those stolen words. "Are these two _actually _going to the same academy?," thinks one of the men. And even his uncle can't help but to cover his face behind one of his hands from the sheer embarrassment. Even Issei, battered, broken, and barely conscious, thinks, "It's said that imitation is the highest form of flattery, but honestly, that was just depressing."

"Seiji," says Rias, approaching him with a smile on her face, "I never realized how strongly you felt."

"Well, what can I say?," he asks as a blush overtakes him and he puts on a big, toothy grin. "I've always felt like dis. Just needed da words to express it."

"Well then," interjects Rias. "Let me be the first one to tell you that such bold and beautiful expression," who then proceeds to launch her knee straight into Seiji's groin, "is precisely unbecoming of an ill-fated and untimely wastrel such as yourself." Seiji falls to his knees as Rias slips the paper from out of his hands. "Keep _his_ words out of _your_ mouth."

She walks over to Issei and immediately tries to help him stand back up. "Come on, Issei," she nonchalantly says to him. "Let's get you home. Father will be worried if his son's not back soon."

"WAIT!," yells an all too familiar voice. "Rias Gremory," says Seiji as he struggles to get back up. "I shoulda known dat it takes more dan words to win over a gal like yaself. But don't worry, I can give ya da fina fings in life. Go ahead. Name ya price. I'll even give ya da world if I hafta."

Rias takes in a deep breath of frustration and anger. "Are you deaf?," she retorts back. "Have I not made myself clear?," she asks as she turns around. "Do I have to spell it out for you just so you can get it through your thick skull? I'm rejecting you, Seiji Shiina. I don't like you. I've never liked you. In fact, I'd even go so far as to say that I despise you. Do you really think that something as inconsequential as money is going to change that? You can't buy another person's affections. That isn't how life works. And you!," she shouts to Seiji's uncle. "Teach your son some manners. His poor upbringing and arrogant attitude are precisely why he'll never find someone who truly loves him. Just so you know, he's the school bully. Apart from that, he's one of the lowest underachievers. I don't know how much you're spending on his tuition, but believe you me that money is gone. There's not going to be any sort of return on investment for you. I don't know what you did that allowed him to become like that, but I would advise that you leave here and fix it somewhere else, **NOW!**," her final shout resounding throughout the warehouse.

Silence follows as everyone stares in awe of the sheer courage of the woman in front of them. Even Seiji's uncle, who had kept a level head throughout this entire development, is hard pressed to not simply stand in shock at her. Straightening his tie, he clears his throat and speaks. "My good woman," he starts by saying. "Never in my forty-eight years of life have I met a damsel who would've ever spoken to me like that. I'm shocked, but not appalled. Moved, but not frightened. Rocked, yet not offended. Reasons for which it is plain to see why any man would be charmed by you, as well as for your beauty. I see that you are a most sensible person as well as brutally sincere; but I fear that I must meet that brutal sincerity with my own. Issei Hyoudou, the boy you see there, is a runaway. His father owed us a great sum of money, the debt of which was passed down to Issei the day of his death. These debts, as may already be evident to you, have yet to be paid. So I'm sorry to say, but unless you can cover the boy's _expenses, _I can't let him go anywhere."

Rias, without a second thought nor a moment of brief hesitation, produces a blank check and presents it to him. "Finally," she says. "Someone with whom I can negotiate. As you may have already guessed, I am Rias Gremory, heiress to the Gremory Hotels. Whatever Issei owes, I can pay it in full. That is, I'll take on his debt. In which case, he'll belong to me. I'll also be taking the girl."

Everyone simply stands there in silence. Is this really happening? Is this woman, daughter of a hotel tycoon, actually offering to pay this boy's debts? What force is this that compels her? What trickery? What sorcery? Yet for all their disbelief, her face is quite serious. Seiji's uncle slowly reaches out to take the check…and she gives it to him without another word. He looks at it thoroughly. It's certified. The moment he cashes it in, whatever the amount may be, he'll get his money. No doubt about it.

"...Pack it up, boys," he finally says with a straight face. "We're going home. Leave Issei and the girl. Our job is done. And, Seiji," he says, looking at the boy who's shot pride has left him dumbfounded and speechless. "You and I have some things we need to discuss."

With that said, the men and Seiji promptly leave, leaving no one else save for Rias, Aika, and Issei who was struggling to get up by himself. Rias unties Aika and asks her to help her with Issei. She complies without a second thought. "We need to get him to a hospital," she says. "No worries," replies Rias. "I'll personally take care of it."

They slowly march along. "...I'm so sorry," says Issei finally. They both look at him. The right side of his face is swollen and his limp's gotten even worse. "Don't speak," says Rias. "You're too hurt."

They finally reach the exit and find two muscular men, one with a bike at his side, waiting for them. "Kiryuu," says Rias. "These two men will escort you home. Don't worry about any sort of debt. You don't owe me a single cent."

She'd like to say something else, but all she can really say is, "Thank you. Issei," she says to him. "I'm sorry for all the things I said before." With this said, she follows the two men who leave the bike with Rias and Issei and escort her home. Rias takes the bike and immediately, something unexpected yet not so out of the ordinary happens. A strange circle appears beneath their feet and a powerful wind begins to blow. A glowing aura surrounds them until, in the blink of an eye, the two of them are standing in the entrance to Issei's house along with the bike.

"A transportation circle," she sees. "Effective for when you need to rendez-vous at a certain point."

They leave the bike aside and she helps him to his room. There are bookshelves everywhere. On his desk, there's a large stack of notebooks, most likely filled to the brim with oratory notes. On the walls are posters with quotes written in different languages. Some are in Japanese, in French, English, and even others are in Portuguese. There are two books on a big book stand. One is '1984' by George Orwell, and the other is a volume of 'Dragon Ball'. There's even a stylish figurine of Kid Goku flying on his nimbus cloud on the hunt for adventure beside the stand.

The two of them sit on Issei's bed and without a moment of hesitation, Rias says, "Issei. I want you to explain everything to me. Who were those men? Why were they looking for you? You at least owe me that, don't you think?"

"At least?," says Issei. "You bought my life. You freed me. You freed Aika. What I owe you, I'll never be able to repay even if I were immortal. I'll tell you everything. Those men were the reason that I was an orphan. Those men and I were the reason for which my father killed himself!," he says as the river of tears begins to flow, clenching his teeth. "My mother was gravely ill with a hereditary brain disorder. She was like a puppet whose strings were randomly being pulled. She would flail her arms and legs without wanting to. Before long, she wasn't able to concentrate on anything. She even forgot my name. In his hopelessness, dad took to borrowing money from loan sharks to try and see if he could find some sort of treatment or maybe even a cure. It was no use. There was nothing he could do. He spoke to as many doctors as possible, but no one was able to cure my mother. Eventually, mother died and dad was indebted with them. He worked as hard as he could, but it was never enough. I'll never forget that day when I found him, noose around his neck, and his feet just a few centimeters from off the ground. Lifeless as mother on her deathbed. I inherited his debt, or so they told me when they took me. From then on, life was nothing but a constant cycle of forced servitude and abuse. I was their slave. And they made sure that I knew it."

Without a chance for rebuttal, he bites down on his ring fingers and pulls them back to reveal that, "They're prosthetics," he says after spitting them out and revealing the misshapen stumps in their place. "Apart from that, I also inherited the disease that killed my mother. Come my twenty-fifth birthday and I'll just be a hollow husk of a man. I've done everything I can to hide that fact from my dad, Casimiro. He's already done so much for me that I can't imagine laying that burden on his shoulders. What's worse, is that I put the three of you, Aika, dad, and you, in danger. All because of that damn drawing. Those accursed words. All because I couldn't keep my thoughts to myself. Why didn't I just throw it away? Why did I even go to all that trouble of sneaking into the academy if this was going to happen anyway? Why do I strive so hard to be a public speaker if I know that I'll just end up as a lifeless mannequin? Why does everybody I care about end up in danger because of me and I can't do anything about it? I'm powerless! Pathetic! I hold no weight in this world! So why, I ask, did you come to save me Rias?," he asks her. "What consequence would have befallen you had you not come to my rescue? It was me they wanted! I was the solemn sheep sent to its slaughter! Why pay so high a price for my liberation? Why risk life and limb for a foolish boy you only met today? It's plainly obvious that you're not human, I can understand that; but precisely because of that, why are you so moved to care for me? Humanity is decadence and I'm nothing more than another rotting corpse for the heap! What redemption could I ever hope to garner in this world? I'm no man of renown or fame! Neither notoriety nor recognition will ever follow my name! I'll be blotted out from the face of the Earth in a split second and what legacy will I leave behind? In the great expanse of creation, my lot is cast among the dust! There are so many other people in this world worthy of your time and affection! Why do you give it to me? Why, Rias? Why go for me? Why?," he asks her as he falls to his knees from the bed, bones broken and heart heavy.

She processes his words. She's shocked, but not speechless. She knows what she wants to tell him. She knows exactly what he needs to hear. "Issei," she says as she kneels beside him and pushes his bangs out of the way. "Believe me when I tell you that I've had many other men who've confessed to me in the most lavish and extravagant ways possible. I've been offered jewels, riches, the finest luxuries this world can offer; and I've rejected it all. But you're different. You didn't try to buy my affection. You, though not intentionally, tried to earn it. You already figured it out yourself. I'm scopophobic. It's true. I can't stand having strangers stare at me. Judging me. Assuming so many things about me. Having such high expectations of me. It's maddening. And yet, when I saw that drawing, that portrait. It showed me in such a simple light. It made me see myself through your eyes, and showed me a side of myself I never imagined I could have; and that, Issei, is worth much more to me than you could ever imagine. So now, Issei," she says as she grabs him by his cheeks, "let me show you," and closes the distance between their lips.


	8. Chapter 8 - The fate that awaits

**Chapter Eight - The fate that awaits**

**Part One  
**"Wake up, boy. It's time you learn of the fate that awaits you," says an abrupt voice which rings through his ears. In an instant of pure terror and shock, his eyelids are torn from each other and his pupils are met by the heat and glaring shine of a fearsome inferno, the size of which seems almost to consume him.

"Where am I? Where is this? Who's speaking to me? God? Satan? Who are you?," he asks in a shaken voice as he looks around in a mad frenzy to find where he is. The inferno laughs at him. "As God, I am not so divine. As Satan, I am not so accursed. But believe me when I tell you that by the time I'm done speaking to you, you'll fear and revere me all the same."

The inferno breaks to reveal a pair of glowing, green, reptilian eyes which seem to pierce into his very being. The eyes approach him quickly and his spine begins tingling as he feels what seems like death closing in on him. The eyes stop right in front of him and he's left speechless from the size and sheer awe they inspire. "Issei 'João Nakamura' Hyoudou," says the voice. "Never would I have imagined a day where I would actually go so far as to speak to you. After all, you are, as you say, nothing more than an 'untimely wastrel'. But it would seem that some of your more recent endeavors have made you worthy of my attention."

"H-H-H-How do you know these things about me?," he asks stuttering.

"Not about you, boy. About _us. We _are one in the same, and come the moment when your blood is set to boil past the point of bursting, your soul shall I consume. Behold what surrounds you."

He looks around him and takes in the agonizing hellscape which surrounds him. "Do you know from whence these flames emanate?," asks the voice. "They are the anger and turmoil that you've felt all throughout the seventeen miserable years you've walked on this earth."

He stares into the fire. He searches for a breaking point, a horizon; but finds nothing. The flames are immeasurable. Endless.

"No…no. This isn't me. This can't be me. This can't be mine. I've never felt anger like this in my life."

The voice laughs again. "Denial? Childish. This hatred and sorrow are yours; and whether you wish to recognize it or not, they will consume you; and your soul will be erased from this world. Right now, as we speak, there are already those who know of this coming destruction and are searching for you to take your life away. Your days are numbered, Hyoudou."

These last words send a dark chill down his spine. "No," he says as he grabs his head and shakes it from side to side. "This isn't real! It's just a nightmare! You aren't real! I'm not speaking to you right now! This isn't happening!"

"You refuse to acknowledge my existence despite the fact that you've devoted your affections to _her_? You're an audacious, little insect of a man, I'll give you that. But all the same, these flames will devour you."

In that moment, the eyes disappear. "I've told you your fate. Whether you heed my words or not is your choice alone. Either your rage kills you or _they _will."

"They? Who are they? Who's coming to kill me? Is it the Yakuza again? Please, you have to tell me. I don't want anyone else getting caught up in this."

"And here I thought you were denying my existence. I've said enough. Out of my sight, mortal."

In that moment, he sees as an explosion of fire shoots upward toward him. His eyes grow wide as the adrenaline overtakes him and the flames begin to surround him.

**Part Two  
**His eyelids tear themselves from each other as he awakens to find himself jumping out of his bed from the jolt he's received. His body falls against the floor with a resounding thud and he begins to move about on the floor.

"Head, shoulders, knees, toes, eyes, ears, mouth, nose," he starts saying out loud as he lists off all the body parts that weren't consumed by the flames. "All here. They're all here," he says as he exhales in a sigh of relief. However, as he confirms the presence of his extremities, he can't help but to ask: —Por que estou nu? (Why am I naked?)

He gets up and heads for his closet to look for some temporary pajamas to put on. He puts on a pair of boxers, shorts, and covers his torso with a T-Shirt that reads "Os Cavaleiros do Zodíaco*" on it, a gift from his father. He walks toward his desk, sits down on his swivel chair, opens a cabinet, and pulls out a small notebook. He opens it up and, at once, begins to skillfully sketch the inferno he saw as well as the eyes on the top half of the page. On the bottom half, he begins to write:

_What was this horrid vision which I was made to witness? The resounding voice and crackling flames that surrounded me were unlike anything I'd ever seen or heard in my life. Was this a warning? And to whom did those haunting eyes belong? Mayhaps it's nothing more than another one of the countless night-terrors which so presently accompany my restless, unwavering insomnia. Still, never had I endured one so vivid. It knew my name. Both of them. "Issei 'João Nakamura' Hyoudou" it called me. It warned me of something. It said that the anger and sorrow I'd felt throughout my seventeen years of life would soon consume my soul. That either it would kill me or __**they**__ would. I wanted to keep asking, but it refused to answer any of my questions. I didn't even get its name. I want to believe it was nothing more than a nightmare. Still, it seemed so real. I'll probably get over it as the week progresses. I'll just bury my thoughts in some other endeavor. _

His pen stops. _But it would seem that some of your more recent endeavors have made you worthy of my attention._ The sentence rings out in his head. He looks back at the page. _It was just a dream, _he writes for the closing sentence. With this, he closes the notebook and puts it away. He stays pondering. Wondering. Then suddenly, something out of the corner of his eye gets his attention. There's a pile of some neatly folded clothing on the far end of his desk. He looks at it to find that it's the hoodie and sweatpants he was wearing yesterday. "Oh yeah," he thinks to himself. "I snuck into Kuoh Academy yesterday and was able to burn the…" He stops. He looks at another pile next to his hoodie. A skirt? A blazer? And a vest? But that's not the weirdest part. On top of that, he finds a bra and a pair of panties. His face turns red as he examines it and finds a single, loose strand of crimson hair. He picks it up and examines it. He knows this color all too well. There's only one person he knows from whom this hair could've come. "That's impossible," he thinks; but the memories start coming back to him. His eyes widen in realization. He puts pressure on his foot and on different places on his face. "I was practically a dead man yesterday," he thinks to himself. "Shiina was about to waste me when…" His fingers touch his lips. He blushes again. "Why was I naked?" he asks himself one more time. He turns his chair around to investigate, only to be met by the sight of a grand pair of bare and voluptuous breasts. His eyes widen in surprise as he shoots his head back from the unexpected shock. He immediately covers his eyes with both hands and apologizes. "I. Am. So. Sorry. I did not mean to do that. I didn't know you were standing there."

Rias can't help but to laugh at his reaction. "You don't need to apologize, Ise. It's alright. After all, last night was pretty wild."

His hands translate from his eyes to his mouth, revealing his aghast expression as he bends forward in fear of what those words may mean.

"I mean your wounds. Don't worry. We didn't do _that, _okay? Besides," she says as she puts her hand under his chin and makes him face her, "you still haven't met _my_ parents."

"Wh-Wh-Wh-What happened l-l-last night?" he asks stuttering.

"You were horribly wounded by that good-for-nothing, snake in the grass, Shiina, before he went so far as to steal your words to try and confess to me. He ran your sonnet through a woodchipper. Either way, after all was said and done, I brought you here and tended to your wounds whilst I whispered sweet nothings in your ear all. Night. Long," she says with a hint of satisfaction at the end.

"I…I see," he replies. "Yes. I feel absolutely fine. What did you do?"

"Simple," she replies. "I went ahead and used my devil aura to heal your wounds. I even went ahead and did something else for you."

She intertwines her hands with his and squeezes down on his two ring fingers. "Impossible," he says. "They've…grown back. I…can't believe it."

She wraps her arms around his head and brings him in between her breasts. She starts running her fingers through his hair. "I hope you can finally leave the past behind you. After all, you're cuter when you smile," she says smiling.

The tears begin to roll down the sides of his face as his eyelids close in defeat. "Thank you. Thank you so much for saving Kiryuu back there. I'm sorry I wasn't able to be of any use. All I did was get knocked around. And the worst part is that you ended up paying my debts to this world. I promise, I'll do everything I can to pay you back someday."

"Then make me a promise. Right here. Right now."

"Anything you ask. Even if it's money I'll…" but he stops as she goes on to plant a kiss on his forehead. "I want you to follow your dream," she says. "I want you to become that great public-speaker you've been striving to be all these years. But also," she says as she starts to tighten her grip around him, "I want you to be mine. I want us to spend the rest of our lives together."

Issei's eyes widen in shock. "She's proposing, Hyoudou," he says to himself. "Choose your words very carefully. Do not! I repeat: DO NOT! Fuck. This. Up."

He looks her in the eyes and asks, "Rias. Are you absolutely sure? I mean. You have your whole life ahead of you. We're both just two students in high school. This is a really big step that could have everlasting and unforeseen consequences down the line. Not to mention that we'd have to get both of our parents to approve of it; and I'm not sure if your father will accept someone of such humble beginnings like myself. Not to mention that I'm adopted. I don't really have an ambitious career path and…" but he's unable to continue speaking as she brings him in for a kiss. Parting their lips, she starts to talk. "Listen, Issei. I'm fully aware of everything you just mentioned. Now let me tell you something. We devils live for an unimaginably long amount of time. The amount of time we usually spend looking for the right person far exceeds the lifespan of any modern human. By the time we usually settle down to have a partner, literal generations will have already gone by. However, Issei, believe me when I tell you that I don't need that long to realize you're the one for me. It's what I love about humans. You're mortality forces you to mature quickly and you're better people for it. Most of the time. Now you. You've gone through hardships and endured pains no mere mortal could ever go through. I mean, to sneak into the old school building by climbing unstable vines, flee from a supernatural being with the power to twist reality, sprain your ankle, go and face what may literally have been your death or enslavement to save your friend. These things would've driven any other man to take his own life. Yet you dare to dream. You still hold on to hope. And you do so so humbly and simply. You still strive for the finer things in life. You seek out nobler principles, higher ideals, greater values. Monetary gain means little to you. You just want your words to leave a mark on the world. Yet you can't help but doubt yourself, can you? I learned so much about you yesterday. You're just a poor boy with a sad soul and a broken heart. Yet you're not bitter or cynical. And those, Issei, are, for me, the traits of someone worth loving."

He falls into deep thought as he processes her words. "I…see. It…had never occurred to me that I could ever possess such merits. I…don't know what to say. As for your proposal, I…"

"It's alright if you can't answer me right now. Nevertheless, you're still going to be my boyfriend. Hope you don't mind holding hands for all of Kuoh Academy to see, you big nerd," she says in a playful tone as she gestures to his T-shirt. "By the way, Issei. Does your father, Casimiro, ever visit you in the morning or anything like that?"

"Only on the weekends, why?"

"Perfect," she replies as she produces two towels. "That means we don't have to worry about anybody finding us in the shower together."  
_

***Os Cavaleiros do Zodíaco (lit. The Knights of the Zodiac) is the Brazilian dub's title for **_**Saint Seiya**_**. **

**Fun fact: In this story, Issei is actually a bigger fan of **_**Saint **__**Seiya **_**than of **_**Dragon Ball**_**. As you can imagine, his adoptive father, Casimiro, had a lot to do with that. I've been told by many Brazilians that although both shows were extremely popular in Brazil when they first came out, **_**Saint Seiya **_**was moreso. I wanted to add this little detail to Issei's character so as to accentuate his Brazilian side, despite the fact that he's completely Japanese. Who knows? Will I write a scene where he's singing the Brazilian dub of Pegasus Fantasy? I might. **

**I hope you've been enjoying the story up till now. I'm going to start working on another fanfic I've been wanting to do for **_**Stop! Hibari-kun! **_**If you're wondering what it'll be about, I'll give you one word: Fighting. **

**Till next time. **


	9. Chapter 9 - Flawed creatures

**Chapter Nine - Flawed creatures**

"And so we now thrive as three completely distinct races with our own civilizations and cultures."

"But you're not truly at peace, are you?" he asks. "It's more like a long, unending cease-fire."

"Summarizing it, that's definitely what it is," she replies.

"But the older generations don't see it as such, so your world feels as though it were stuck in a temporal limbo with generation after generation being born into the same, complacent drudgery. Each one, of course, possessing its own paradigm, but unable to bring it to fruition due to the status quo."

"Yes! Thank you! Someone who gets it!" she exclaims.

"That would explain why you've chosen to inhabit the realm of mankind, but why Japan specifically?"

"Out of every other country in the world, this one, well," she pauses, formulating her words, "was the _most _to my liking."

"An inexplicable fondness. Like a child playing with a toy for the first time," he replies.

"That's one way to put it, yes. Though I'm loathe to think I'm so simple."

"We all are, I assume, in our own ways. At least, I don't deny that I am. Though _that _may be a quality exclusive to human condition. We are, in the most forthright of terms, flawed creatures."

"Flawed?" she asks. "Not evil?"

"'Evil' is an adjective attested to the losing side of a war. And although, undoubtedly, there are figures in history who have earned their titles of the most horrid and heinous to have ever walked the Earth, the credit of their malicious ways can also be attributed the time, place, and circumstance in which they found themselves. I mean, have you ever stopped to wonder what would've been of Germany and the Third Reich had Hitler been allowed to pursue his dream of being an artist? Or what would've been of Prussia and the Austro-Hungarian Empire had Archduke Ferdinand not visited Sarajevo on the very day of its founding? But, in a way, when coincidence so easily lends itself to a cause, it's comforting, to say the least, to write it off as an act of fate. And though fate may truly exist, I wouldn't say anyone is fated to do anything. Simply…pre-inclined. Some of us, to be good. Others, to be evil. But the choice we make depends solely on us. So no. I wouldn't say we're evil. Simply flawed," he replies as his gaze sinks into the clouds. "I speak for myself, of course. There are, undoubtedly, others whose views on the subject will be different."

"As it pertains to humans, correct?" she asks.

"Yes. I can't give my opinion on other beings. I've always believed, in a way, in the notion of God. Someone who sets free will and destiny in both balance and motion."

"So you believe that free will and destiny coincide with one another?"

"I know it may seem crazy to look at it that way, but yes. It's like Newton's Third Law. For every action, there's an equal and opposite reaction. You can look at life in the same way. For every action taken, there's a consequence that's destined to meet it. Such is the _motion_ of existence, you could say."

"So you're a philosopher as well?" she asks jokingly.

"Only if I take the actions to be one," he responds, smiling.

In that moment, they're interrupted by the sight of Kuoh Academy.

"Here we are," she says as she flaps her gossamer wings and prepares for the descent. With her arms wrapped around his waist, she straightens her posture and begins to slowly float down. She lands among some trees and, as soon as she's certain that nobody is nearby, she dispels the illusory magic masking their presence, regaining visibility in human eyes.

"Here we are," she says.

"And with a full fifteen minutes to spare," he replies.

In that moment, she grabs him by the hand. "I hope you don't mind crowds," she says.

"Wait, you were serious about holding hands together?" he asks, blushing.

"Indubitably. Besides, with all those dreadful stares they give me, it'd be nice to have someone to hold onto for a change. You wouldn't deny me that, would you?" she asks as she stares at him with eyes like a puppy.

"I've never been one to try and draw unwanted attention."

She lets out a chuckle. "Of course you haven't, Mr. Secret Admirer. Now let's get going."

Ensuring that no one is there to see them, she goes on ahead and leads him out of the trees and toward the entrance to the academy. As they leave, he sees something out of the corner of his eye. He looks to his left and can't help but catch a glimpse of a large, black feather, too big to belong to any bird of which he's aware.

"Something the matter, Issei?" she asks.

He snaps out of his daze. "No. Nothing. Let's go."

With that said, they cross the street. As they do, they're completely oblivious of the hooded figure they've just left behind them.

"That was a close one," thinks the figure. "I had to get up close; but no doubt it's him. And what's worse is that he's with _her_. Of all the people to get involved with, it had to be the heiress of the house of Gremory, younger sister of the Devil King. What am I going to do?"

The hooded figure contemplates. "I'll need to get him away from her somehow and end it quickly. I'll put him out of his misery before he can figure anything out. Still, if what Lord Azazel told us is true, that boy's not to be taken lightly either."

It spreads its black wings and swiftly takes off to the sky. As she does, she looks back and catches a glimpse of a crowd of students huddling around the couple.

"It's the school idol, Rias Gremory!" one student announces.

"But who's that she's holding hands with?" another asks.

"Is he a transfer?"

"This late in the year? I don't think so."

"Then where's he from?"

She turns to look at him. "Does anyone know you attend the academy?"

He lowers his gaze and blushes. "I told you I've never been one to draw unwanted attention," he quietly replies.

"Then let me go ahead and fix that," she says, smiling.

"Everyone," she announces. "Allow me to introduce to all of you the one who really confessed to me."

His eyes widen in realization of what she's going to do. "He's actually been a student here ever since the beginning of the semester. I'd like you all to meet my boyfriend, Issei Hyoudou."

The whole crowds is taken aback by the news.

"Boyfriend?!"

"So he's Mr. Lover Boy!"

"To think he'd swoop up the school idol right from under everyone else's noses!"

"But is he really that charming? He seems pretty plain to me."

Everybody's eyes fall on him. They all start listening. "This is your chance to make an impression, Hyoudou," he says to himself. "Now's the time to show what you're capable of. Knock'em dead, Isse."

He calculates his words and begins to speak. "Good morning, everyone. My name is Issei Hyoudou. A fellow classmate who so timidly hid himself behind a vivid veil of meek monotony and masked by the sweet silence of courteous complacency so as to not dare, diverge, nor draw the adamant attention of any one of you who find yourselves here. You'll no doubt pardon this abrupt introduction as I hoped to better present myself under more distinct circumstances. Nevertheless, as fate would so have it, I'm stirred to the center stage in such dire straits and a fiery blaze as each one with their fearsome gaze do test my mettle to see if I'm brave. So said, I hold back no answer from whom may see it fit to inquire of my person. After all, I am, as all of you, just another humble learner whose name makes up the roster of this academic institution."

Silence overtakes them. Some are baffled. Others are astounded. But what to make of it? One thing is certain, he's most definitely the one whose words captured the school idol's heart. 'How?' is the question they're all asking.

"What did he say?"

"I didn't understand a word."

"He's sort of plain-looking, don't you think?"

But before they can continue, the first bell rings, signaling that it's time to get to class. The crowd of students say goodbye to Rias, but most leave Issei without a word. She stands there speechless and looks toward Issei.

"Issei," she begins to say. "It wasn't my intention to…"

"It's not your fault," he replies. "I'm fully aware of the fact that not everyone will understand or appreciate me. It just means I need to work harder. After all, we're just…"

"Flawed creatures?" she asks.

He thinks for a moment and puts on a melancholic smile. "Yes," he answers. "That's precisely what we are."

Before he can react, she pulls him in for a seven second kiss. Parting their lips, she tells him. "The day's only just begun. It'll get better, I'm sure it will."

With this said, she goes on her way to her classes, leaving Issei to his own devices.

"Now that's just sad," says the winged figure. "He's so well-spoken. I almost feel sorry for him."

"You're not the only one, Raynare," says a voice from behind her.

She turns around in surprise. "Dohnaseek!" she exclaims. "What are you doing here?"

"That's what I should be asking you. You've been on this boy's tail for about a month now. I get that you've recently been recruited to work under the Grigori, but it's never taken any new recruit _this _long to assassinate anyone. Lord Azazel is growing impatient. He's sent me to offer you my assistance."

"I don't need your help or anyone else's, for that matter. I got in on my own merits and I intend to keep it that way."

Dohnaseek chuckles. "Poor, deluded, stupid Raynare."

"Hold your tongue, Dohnaseek!" she yells at him.

"Or what?" he asks mockingly. "Am I to believe that you're going to strike me down with these 'great merits' you so fondly speak of? You're an incapable welp. Completely unfit to serve as a fallen angel, much less under the leadership of Lord Azazel."

"You know nothing!" she screams.

"I know you've yet to carry out the orders given to you. That much is plainly evident. In fact, enough of your childish revelry; and forget about offering my assistance, I'm taking over."

"No. So long as I'm here, I…"

"Oh, don't worry yourself over that because you won't be here for much longer. As your superior, I order you to abort this operation and report your failure to the Grigori."

"You! You have no right! And I'm not going anywhere!"

He simply smirks and chuckles in response to her defiance. "It's all the same, worthless effort of yours, Raynare. Besides, should you not return to the Grigori and honestly report your incompetence, I'll do it myself. And we both know you're not nearly strong enough to stop me."

She grits her teeth as tears begin to slip down the sides of her face.

"And there go the tears. The tears of a girl who's in way over her head. Countless times I've tried to spare you this humiliation, this embarrassment. But your own insistence just keeps on condemning you, time and time again. Go home, Raynare. You failed."

She lowers her gaze. "Very well," she says. "But I'm not going back to the Grigori."

"Do as you please. Just don't get in my way," he replies. Without another word, she disappears from in front of him and he's left to contemplate how to go about completing the mission.

Back at class, Issei sits down at his desk, taking the same, unnoticeable spot. As he does, a group of boys runs into the classroom, looking frightened and out of breath. He pays it no mind until he hears an all too familiar voice from outside.

"Issei Hyoudou! Where ya hidin'?"

"It's Shiina! He's coming this way!" someone shouts.

One of the boys closes the door and they all rush to take their seats. A few seconds later and the door slides open to reveal one of Shiina's goons with a picture in his hand.

"There you are!" he exclaims as he sees Issei. "Hey, Shiina. I found'im!"

The boy enters the room and walks over to Issei. "You're gonna pay fo' what ya did to the boss. I don't know how you did it, but, damn, must you be tough."

"Dat's enough talkin'. Let _me _get a word wiv'im."

In that moment, Shiina walks into the room, covered in bandages and patches all over his body.

"Shiina?" asks Issei to himself. "What happened to him? What's going to happen to me?"

The big, brutish delinquent grabs a chair, turns it to face him, and sits with his legs spread apart by the seat. Looking at Issei, he asks. "Da fuck? What happened to ya?"

"I think that question is better meant for you."

"Ya completely fine."

"And you look like you got rushed down by some common criminals."

"I ain't get rushed down by no common criminals. My uncle just beat some sense into me is all. But neva mind dat."

"I see. Is there something you wanted to talk about."

"To be honest, I didn't think I'd get this far. Now, ya know that I ain't exactly da smoovest when it comes down to talkin' to, well, anybody. And I'm prolly da last person you'd expect to hear dis from; but I need ya advice. How d'ya do it?"

"Do what?"

"Get a bad bitch like Rias Gremory."

"I'd probably start by not calling her a bad bitch."

"Okay, fine, whateva. But, I mean, what ova fings d'ya do? What d'ya got dat I don't?"

"A natural hair color and eyebrows."

"Could ya stop makin' jokes? I'm bein' serious here."

"As am I."

Shiina stops and chuckles. "Ya really are a wise guy, ya know dat? And ya got some serious balls to be crackin'em jokes afta yestaday."

"You practically left me at death's doorstep, Shiina. Trust me when I tell you that there isn't much to fear after that."

"Deaf's doorstep, but I'm da one who looks like he got da shit beaten out o' him."

"You should've seen me when I first ran away. How long ago was it? I don't remember. It's hard to count with only eight fingers, a bruised body, and an empty stomach. But you wouldn't tend know anything about that, now would you?"

Shiina pauses for a moment. He looks at Issei in the eyes. His expression is…honest. His eyes don't waver nor does his gaze falter; and for the first time, he thinks about what he's going to say. "Let's just say dat…I recently got a reality check. I…wanna change. Be a betta person. I saw da way she cried fo' ya, and da way _she _came to save ya. I wanna...what's da word?"

"Inspire that in others?"

"Exactly. Dat right dere. I wanna in-spy-a dat in ovas. How do I do dat?"

"And you want me to teach you?" asks Issei, in a surprised tone of voice.

"Yeah. I mean, ya got dem big ass words dat just sound so cool and shit, know what I mean? Ya move people wiv'em. I wanna do dat."

"Well, I mean…"

But in that moment, the bell rings.

"I gotta get to class. Come to da courtyard at lunchtime and we'll talk some more. See ya dere."

But before he can give a word of either protest or affirmation, Shiina's out the door with his goons. And unbeknownst to either one of them, the one known as Dohnaseek, from a distance away, has just seen the altercation.

"Now there's my chance," says the fallen angel, smiling deviously.


	10. Chapter 10 - Honest intentions

**Chapter Ten - Honest intentions**

His footsteps resound through the empty hallway of the first floor as he makes his way to the front exit. He's followed by two younger men, his lackies, as they go off to carry out their usual misadventures. One of them, Daichi, can't help but to ask. "Boss. Was ya really bein' serious when ya told dat Hyoudou guy dat ya just wanted to talk to'im?"

Without a moment of hesitation, he answers. "I meant every word of it."

He looks back at his friend, Sakaki, in surprise. Sakaki asks, "What'd he do to ya, boss? Ya've been actin' different since dis mornin'. Did dat guy really beat'cha up dat badly?" he asks, gesturing to Seiji's bandages.

"Do ya two really fink a guy like dat could land a scratch on me? O' course he ain't did dis to me. It's what he did to _her _dat I wanna know."

The two of them look at each other with raised eyebrows.

"Rias Gremory," he continues speaking. "A dame like 'er's much too fine for a guy like 'im; but I know what it is. It's his words. Da way he be doin' all dat talkin' makes ya feel like he could move ya soul. But it ain't just his words, it's how he says'em."

"Well, if he's so impressive, how come everybody practically ignored'im dis mornin' when dat Gremory girl put'im on da spot like dat?" asks Sakaki.

"Simple," responds Seiji without hesitation, almost as if he were anticipating the question. "Not all great artists are understood by da people. Ya two eva heard o' da phrase: 'Ahead of their time'? It's like when a artist is so, what's da word? Advanced! When dey so advanced dat da people o' deir time don't understand'em; but den dey die, and da people dat come afta da first people DO understand'em. Dat's what _he _is. He's ahead o' his time. And I want dat."

"But why, boss? Ya ain't neva wanted dat befo'. Why now?" asks Daichi.

"Easy. Lemme ask ya two a question. Right now. Wivout lyin' frough ya teef. Answa me dis. Am I a smart person? I want'cha to answa honestly."

The two young boys look at each other nervously. Sakaki swallows his spit and Daichi lowers his gaze to the ground.

"Well? C'mon. I'm waitin' on ya answa. Don'tcha lie to me, now."

Sakaki looks at Daichi and pushes him to answer. Daichi, being put on the spot, struggles to find the words.

"Well, I mean. Ya know, boss. We'll always follow ya no matta how smart ya might be."

"Dat wasn't my question. I asked if I was smart, and ya still ain't answa'd me. And _you_, Sakaki. Ya ain't really bein' a good friend by puttin' Daichi hea' on da spot like dat. I wan'n answa from da bof o' yaz. An honest one, too."

The two remain silent.

"And dere it is," replies Seiji. "I'm a dumbass no matta how ya look at it," he says whilst he gazes at the roof sadly.

"Now, boss," replies Daichi. "We wouldn't go so far as to call ya a dumbass…"

"Well, o' course _you two _wouldn't. Ya're afraid o' me," interrupts Seiji. "Dat's all it is. Fear. My fava led his clan wit' fear. _His _fava led his clan wit' fear. _I _lead da bof o' yaz wit' fear. Dere ain't no real respect. It's just fear. And last night, I got a taste o' what dat fear is like. I always took it fo' granted since I was neva on da receivin' end, but I'll be right down damned if I don't say dat it was da worst shit I've eva been frough."

He looks up to the roof in melancholy. "Ya ain't a person no more."

The two boys look at each other, then back to Seiji. "Boss. Are you alright?" one of them asks.

He looks back at Daichi and Sakaki. "Go to class. Da two o' yaz. I got somefin' I gotta take care of by myself."

With that said, he abruptly leaves the two boys behind and continues on alone. He walks through the main entrance of the high school building and heads for the southern part of the Academy. There's not a single soul set to see him. He heads for the southern wall, crouches, and begins to crawl through the hole which he and his lackies had made, unbeknownst to the Student Council. He arrives on the other side of the wall and dusts himself off. He begins to stroll down the sidewalk and, because of his looks and size, no one dares to question where he's going. He doesn't know where he's headed, he just knows he'll need to be back for lunch with Issei. In that moment, he sees something out of the corner of his eye. In a rather dark alleyway, visible only by the few beams of light which reaches the figure, a poor man sits squatting against the wall with nothing more than a plastic cup to collect donations from those who are kind enough to take pity on him.

_But you wouldn't tend to know anything about that, now would you?_

_Ya ain't a person no more. _

The phrases play back in his head so vividly, he can swear he's actually hearing them. Suddenly, he feels a strange sensation. He reaches into his back pocket and produces some coins. He approaches the man and one by one, drops the yen into his cup. The man looks up at him and smiles.

"Thank you for your hospitality," he says.

Seiji simply bows his head and continues onward to his unknown location, leaving behind the dark alleyway and the homeless man.

"You're quite the odd one, aren't you?" asks a voice from behind as he's turning the corner. Seiji turns to find a man in a trench coat and a fedora loitering against the wall.

"Ya talkin' 'o me?" asks Seiji.

"There's nobody else here, is there?"

Seiji raises an eyebrow in suspicion. "I was just helpin' a poor, old man out. Ain't no law against dat."

"Law? True, true. However, I'm pretty sure there're laws against skipping classes. Or am I just mistaken in assuming that's a school uniform."

"And what's it to ya? Ya gonna report me to da cops or somefin'?"

"I think the cops are afraid of you. After all, with your dyed hair, shaved eyebrows, and piercings, anybody would be."

"Maybe dey oughtta be afraid," he says aggressively.

"And maybe they're just judging a book by its cover. Let me guess. You're looking to change your ways after getting your first real taste of how cruel the world can actually be," he says as he gestures to his bandages.

"And just what are _you _s'pposed to be? Some sorta private eye?" asks Seiji menacingly.

"I'm a friend."

"A friend?"

"Precisely."

"Well ya ain't no friend o' mine, dat's fo' sure."

"Then pray tell, which friends are yours? Or would you actually be so bold as to call those two boys who follow you out of fear your friends?"

Seiji feels a chill run down his spine. "How d'ya know about that?"

"Like I said," he replies as he takes off his fedora and produces a business card from one of his pockets. "I'm a friend."

_Better tomorrow than you are today, _reads Seiji on the business card. "I'm from a non-profit organization that reaches out to inner city youths so we can turn them into well-mannered and virtuous members of society. Just a few minutes of your time and I'll get you straightened up and flying right in no time. Free of charge, of course."

Seiji takes the business card. "Sounds too good to be true," he thinks to himself. "What's the catch?" he asks.

"Catch? No catch at all, young man. I'd just like to run a little diagnostic test on you that's all."

"What kind?"

"A simple one, really. It's said that you can tell a lot about a person by just looking them in their eyes. I'd like for you to look straight at me for a few seconds."

"Dat just sounds like a bunch o' new age bullshit from off da internet! No wonda ya're a non-profit organization! Ain't no one dumb enough to buy into dat crap! What d'ya take me for? Some sorta jackass?" says Seiji threateningly.

"Not at all," says the man. "If you don't want to, that's absolutely fine. Most youths with something to hide tend to be uncomfortable with the notion of someone looking into their eyes. It's normal."

"Somefin' 'o hide? And just what would I hafta hide, huh? I ain't no criminal!"

"Then you won't mind taking the test, correct?"

In that moment, he looks back at the business card and starts to reflect on his whole life up until that point. He begins to remember the searing sting of the bamboo on his back and shoulders; and immediately his wounds begin to itch uncontrollably.

"And it's just a few seconds?" asks Seiji.

"Just a few," he replies.

"Well, alright den. I guess if it don't take too long, den ain't no harm in doin' it."

"Precisely," says the man. "Now, please. Open your eyes wide and focus on my gaze."

Seiji widens his eyelids and begins to stare.

"Now just empty your mind of all other thoughts."

Seiji does so, focusing only on the man's gaze. A few seconds pass and nothing changes. Suddenly, he watches as the man's eyes turn into a bright purple and begin to glow. His eyes widen in shock, but he's unable to move.

"What the hell?" he thinks. "What's goin' on?"

"Well done, boy," says the man. "I always knew you'd be able to do it."

He releases his gaze and snaps his fingers. All at once, Seiji watches as a purple curtain of nebulous dust and light begins to peel away from his surroundings to reveal the very same setting as before, but with people and cars, missing pieces of whose absence he had taken no note.

"There's no use in fighting it," says the man. "Your thoughts and actions are restricted to the parameters of your imagination. You can hope, wish, and pray for release as much as you want; but your freedom will only come once I've decided that you are of no further use or worth to me. As you'll be serving me without fail, allow me to truly introduce myself."

The man starts walking and Seiji, as if by instinct, follows.

"My name is Dohnaseek. I am a fallen angel and your new master," he says as he spreads his dark, black wings. "And no. Besides you, no one else can see me. You're probably wondering why I've chosen to possess you. The answer is simple really. I'm going to kill the boy named Issei Hyoudou and I need someone to help me. I overheard your conversation with him and I jumped at the chance. So here's what's going to happen. You're going to lure that boy out of the academy walls, lead him to me, and then I'll free you."

"Da fuck?!" yells Seiji internally. "What fo'?!"

"The boy's a monster and poses a threat to all of existence. He's better off dead. And yes, while I'm possessing you, I can hear your thoughts."

"Monsta? Ya mus' be fuckin' brain dead if ya fink a guy like dat could hurt a fly! Type o' angel just kills a person?! 'Specially one like him! He ain't neva done nuttin' 'o nobody! Me on da ova hand! I deserve to die! Hea's 'n idea! Kill me! Shit, if someone's gotta die, I'll voluntea right now!"

"That's admirable, but your shallow and vain attempts at redemption aren't enough to erase a lifetime of sin and malice. You think that your sacrifice will truly suffice as the decisive atonement for all you've been throughout your miserable life? You think that changing will blot out your transgressions from the pages of history? You're a miserable, little welp. The fact that a being as divine as myself would even bother possessing a soul as putrid as yours is already over a thousand times more than what a disgusting neanderthal such as yourself could even dream of deserving. I don't even want to sully my hands with your worthless blood. I'm just interested in Hyoudou and you're nothing more than the bait to lure him out. A tool. After I slit the bastard's throat, you can throw yourself in front of a speeding truck for all I care. Either way, the boy dies and you play your impromptu part."

Seiji is left speechless by the angel's words.

"That's better," says the angel. "Quiet compliance. You'll do well to keep your mind silent. Now then, here we are."

Seiji sees that they've returned to the southern part of the academy wall.

"Get back to class and once lunchtime rolls around, bring him out. I know you won't fail me. I can see it in your eyes."

He laughs menacingly and Seiji, against his will, crouches down and begins to drag himself through the hole in the wall.

"No! NO! Help me! SOMEBODY HELP ME!" he yells internally; but to no avail. He's been made a victim of his own honest intentions.

* * *

**Good day to everybody. I'd like to take this time to make an announcement. No, I'm not putting the story on hiatus. It actually has to do with my name. Up until now you've known me as 2MVCHFR33T1M3. That's going to have to change. I'm in college now and have successfully acquired a job and, as you can imagine, that takes up plenty of my time. Add to that, I'm also going to be working on some original projects that aren't in the realm of fanfiction, so updates are going to be slower. I guess it's a good thing I've always kept the word count for these chapters between 2,000 to 2,500 words with only very few exceptions. As you can imagine, I'm going to be changing my author name. From now on, I'll be Sinuhe, the lonely Egyptian. I'll try to get the next chapter out as soon as possible. Until next time.**


	11. Chapter 11 - Far from over

**Chapter Eleven - Far from over**

"Did you hear? She has a boyfriend now!"

"So Mr. Lover Boy confessed after all. What's he like? I bet he's a rich hunk, huh?"

"Not even. He's just some weird talking nerd. I saw him this morning. He's nothing special."

"I guess the rich truly are a different breed. It's a shame. She can do so much better."

The teens gossip as quietly as possible so as to not be heard by their teacher. Nevertheless, being a supernatural being and possessing an auditory sense which far outdoes that of any mere human, she can't help but bear witness to every last judging word that's directed to her person.

"And there they go again," she thinks to herself. "Just watching, whispering, and judging as if they had a clue. Talking as though I were some sort of machine, pre-programmed and predisposed to act in a certain manner, to like certain things," she thinks as she makes a very notable face of frustration. _Humanity is decadence! _The phrase plays back in her mind as his tear stained face re-enters her memory.

"And youth is wasted on the young," she thinks. "What was I thinking, putting him on the spot like that? Of course not everyone's going to comprehend him. Even he already knew that. I have to make it up to him. I know! I'll have lunch with him! No, wait. That'll just draw more unwanted attention. But I really should talk to him. Wait. Why do I care if I draw any unwanted attention? He's _my _boyfriend, damn it! Not anyone else's. I should be the one who gets to choose when, where, and under what circumstances I get to see him; and if anyone wants to disapprove then they can just go and…" but her train of thought is cut short by the bell which rings to announce their lunch break.

"Now's my chance," she thinks. She elegantly stands up and quickly makes her way for the door. Her hands reach the handle and slide the door open. As she's about to leave her gaze is met by a pair of glasses.

"Perfect," says the girl.

"It's Student Council President, Shitori!" announces somebody.

"Rias Gremory," says Shitori. "Could I please have a word with you in my office?"

As soon as the question is asked, Rias' heart sinks low. She follows her to her office. Every step is agonizing as she anxiously wishes to go meet up with Issei, but she knows she can't just simply go against the President of the Student Council. Soon enough, they reach her office. Rias takes one of the chairs in front whilst Shitori sits in her own.

"So, Rias. How are you doing this morning?" asks Shitori.

"I'm doing very well," she responds. "And you?"

"I was enjoying a nice, peaceful morning today until I was made to watch what you did in the courtyard," she responds, not wasting any more time and getting straight to the point.

Rias feels a sting of embarrassment as she lowers her gaze and hides her eyes under her hands.

"Not to mention that he's also your boyfriend, is that correct?"

"Well, yes. And what of it?" asks Rias defensively.

"You must've gone completely insane. Courting a human. Of all the atrocities you could imagine to rebel against the wishes of the High Council; and you choose to profane your species as well as your bloodline?"

"I beg your pardon?" replies Rias with a noticeable shift in tone.

"Listen, Rias. I don't know where you found that boy or how you convinced yourself to get involved with him; and frankly I don't want to. End your relationship with him immediately."

A burst of anger surges in Rias and defiantly she replies. "I will do no such thing!"

"You will if you don't want the Devil Lords to ostracize you from your home world," replies Shitori.

"Let them!" interjects Rias. "Condemn me to exile! Why would I ever wish to return to that hollow husk of bygone era?! My brother's already one of the Devil Lords and his wife's already borne him a son! The House of Gremory's posterity is more than assured!"

"Yes. But as your brother is one of the Devil Lords and his wife is not of noble blood, it falls upon you, the Devil Princess, to take on the legacy of your House. And now you wish to defy a time-honored tradition for the sake of chasing a fading romance born from nothing more than the immature desire to rebel against the wishes of your nation."

Rias looks Shitori in the eyes. "I'll have you know that it's not my nation against which I rebel. It's against those outdated and pompous Elder Devils who would have us all believe that their word is law. That their mere utterances are enough to calm a storm or end a drought. Completely detached from the common folk, they've not the slightest idea of what it's like to come from an unknown ancestry. A house unnamed. The ones who force us all to marry against our wills. And they think they own us. Isn't that the reason? The reason for which I struck Lord Phenex across his mandible and drew his 'precious, untainted' blood? The reason my brother had to send me away to the realm of humanity whilst tensions died down, meanwhile we're not a single step closer to ending this pitiful war with the other two factions? You would have me fulfill _their _wishes?"

"But think about the greater good, Rias," responds Sona.

"The greater good?" asks Rias. "The greater good would be to settle our differences with the other two factions and stop acting as though The War of Divinities had happened only yesterday. Have you ever walked the streets of the capital during the evening? Last time I was there, Ouranos was on the brink of civil war. Instead of uniting as one people, the Elder Devils would have us fight and squabble against ourselves. They intentionally create rifts between us, dividing us in castes based on whatever arbitrary quality they can think of just to make themselves feel superior to the rest. And while we waste our time bickering, we don't realize that we could've changed things for the better ages ago."

Now it's Shitori whose gaze is lowered, covered by her hands. "I'll never understand why Lord Sirzechs insisted on bringing you to the world of humans. This world and its ideals have done nothing but fan your flames. I can imagine that that boy's no different. He must've been filling your head to the brim with ideas of revolution and resistance."

"That boy," responds Rias, "is the first person to truly comprehend me. To comprehend what I stand for."

"Oh, really?" asks Shitori. "When did you meet him? How long have you known him? Who is he?"

"I met him yesterday," replies Rias.

"And you're already dating?" asks Shitori. "How did you even meet him?"

"He…," Rias pauses to think. "...confronted me about his letter of confession. We had a minor disagreement about it, but after a few words, he…enamored me. It's almost unreal," she says as she happily remembers yesterday's encounter.

"Allow me to understand. That boy, in the span of a few words, somehow convinced you that he understands you and is a perfect match for someone like you? No wonder you think it's unreal. It's downright illogical."

"So it's illogical that I have feelings for someone with whom I spend an entire afternoon, evening, and morning, but it makes perfect sense that I be betrothed and expected to love someone whom I've never even met once?! That's logical?! Can you honestly look me in the eye and tell me that the latter of those two things springs from a wholly flawless way of thinking and a perfectly objective view of the world?!"

"But the Devil Lords will never approve of it!" yells Shitori, finally losing her patience.

"And just what in Lucifer's name makes you think I want _their _approval?!" retorts Rias.

"It's tradition!"

"Tradition is nothing more than the social expectations of a long gone lifetime which only serves to constrain and manipulate those of us who live in the present; and upheld by those who most benefited from it in their day for the sole purpose of staying in power for as long as possible because they think of the new generation too stupid and disorganized to lead itself!"

Shitori is left speechless. What books Rias has been reading, she can only wonder. Nietzsche? Voltaire? Satan forbid her curiosity's led her to explore the works of Machiavelli.

"This world's been a horrible influence on her," thinks Shitori. "What were you thinking, Lord Sirzechs? Humanity would only worsen her condition, not treat it. It's almost as if you _wanted_ her to expand upon her unorthodox ideals. And I thought I could influence her enough to keep this world's philosophies from leading her any further astray. After all, the territory I was given is so peaceful and quiet. Not to mention that the fame and works of these unmistakably Western authors don't pervade as far as an East-Asian country like Japan. It's precisely one of the reasons I chose this land. Nothing ever happens here. I was more than happy to receive my childhood friend; but alas. Both time and distance have made us grow much too far apart. If I had stayed in Ouranos, witnessed what she says she's witnessed, would I share the same opinion as her?" she wonders; and that's all she can do.

"Say what you want, Sona," Rias interjects, "but I'm not ending my relationship with him. Besides, isn't it only fair to judge someone by the quality and contents of their character? You think my love for him springs from a rebellious desire to go against our norms, but if that were true, don't you think I'd have gotten into a relationship with just any human? Why don't _you _get to know him first? I'm sure you'll find I'm much more sincere and integral than what others would have you believe. Now then, if that's all, I'll be taking my leave."

With this said, she stands up and makes a beeline for the door, without another word between them. As soon as she's left, Sona opens a cabinet and takes out a student record file. She opens it up to reveal a picture of Issei Hyoudou. Focused, she starts to skim through the pages of it, looking intently over the details.

"Where is this boy even from?" she asks. "Adopted. Homeschooled for the majority of his life. He scored fairly well on the entrance exam, but he's not even in any clubs. He doesn't even list off any special skills and his career path is unclear for the time being. So what's she so drawn to?"

As soon as her thoughts rest, she stands up and walks over to the window which gives her an ample view of the courtyard. Upon doing this, she notices two students having what seems to be a very lively conversation. Thanks to her supernatural sight, she's able to get a closer look and it's upon this further inspection that she discovers the two students are Issei Hyoudou and Seiji Shiina. She's taken aback a bit to think that those two would ever socialize with each other, but she notices something that's just a bit off about Shiina. She focuses her vision on him just a bit more and is barely able to distinguish a pale, purple outline of aura emanating from him. Immediately, a chill runs down her spine. She knows that aura! She focuses her sight even more and zooms in on Shiina's eyes. They're giving off a distinguishing, lavender hue that can't be seen by the eyes of a human. Her own eyes widen and her jaw starts to drop.

"Fallen Angels?!" she thinks. "Here?! Why?! And what do they want with him?! I need to tell…!" but her thoughts stop. "We can't tamper in the other factions' business," she thinks. "They're in Devil territory, they have no business here! Somebody would've told us something about this beforehand."

She starts pacing back and forth. "We have to report this," she thinks. "The higher-ups take at least three weeks to respond; and we most definitely do not have that kind of time to spare! We must take action immediately!" she interjects to herself. "But it's another faction! Should we take any sort of action, we may stand to be severely reprimanded for disobeying protocol!" she says. "And if we let them walk all over us than it'll be a sign of debility to the other factions! And what about Rias?! She's been your friend since you two were little girls! Didn't you just speak with her? She'll be devastated if anything happens to him! And how will you stand to face her knowing you could've done something to stop this?!"

She reaches a stalemate. Follow orders or help her friend. She looks out the window as her conscience tears her apart. As she does, Rias heads to the roof of the school building, looking for Issei.

"Now where could he be?" she asks herself. "I should've asked him where he'd be exactly."

She's about to start looking when she suddenly feels a hand over her shoulder.

"Issei!," she exclaims. "I was looking for you. Where have you…?" but her question is cut short by the sight of Sona whose gaze of distress unnerves her. "Rias," she says. "He's in danger. You have to follow me. Quickly!"

Rias' eyes widen at her friend's words. It would seem their cruel fate is still far from over.


	12. Chapter 12 - A favor to ask

**Chapter Twelve - A favor to ask**

"He actually did it. That crazy son of a gun," she thinks as she ruminates on this morning's events. She can only imagine how. His charming words and compelling demeanor would've most certainly drawn _her _in. And to think she so aggressively discouraged the undertaking. Out of anger, out of fear, out of even that so cruel a sentiment as jealousy, as envy. Cruel for its holder, rarely for whom it's held. And hold him she did to no avail, for with rejection did he answer her call to affection, to communal predilection. His sights were set higher and his ambitions would not retire till he could lay claim to the crimson dame for which his tongue could spray flames. Oh, what ire! Hot desire! Cast aside in this, her shame! A broken lyre! Her heartstrings, mired! 'Twas all for nought and she's to blame! Drowned in sorrow, she weeps and wallows! It's hard to swallow her sin and stain! A soul left hollow! Whom's she to follow? He's moved on and she's the same! And it was all in vain…

"How? How could I hope to compare to _her?" _she starts to think. "Her beauty, her elegance, her pomp, and her allure. How'd she do it? How'd she steal him away?" she asks.

Was it love or simple lust? But no! His soul is too pure; and his heart, much too cold, much too unfeeling. This she knows better than anyone. He'd come to save her last night! He'd come for her! But then _she _stepped in! She saved them both. Sent her off and took him home _personally. _She was so rattled by last night's events that she hadn't the strength nor the determination to utter a single word of protest. It was then! Did they spend the night together? Did she…? Did they…?

_Isse, baby. Let me tend to your wounds._

"No. No! There's absolutely no way _he _would!" she screams in her thoughts. "But maybe. If she'd somehow persuaded him. She did pay his debts to the Yakuza and her father's a hotel tycoon. Could she have…?"

_I can convince daddy to let this little expenditure of mine slide. Nevertheless, you'll still owe me; and I know just how you can start repaying your debts, _she'd have said to him while shooting him a seductive look and a wicked smile. A victim of circumstance. Fate's very own plaything. And how could he refuse? His honor and virtue would never allow him to. Even if she did want money, he'd have taken on the debt without thinking it over.

"So noble, so naïve. Of course he'd be taken advantage of. Just look at what she did to him this morning. Making him speak just so the others could mock and criticize him. He's not her boyfriend! He's her personal clown! He needs help, but I know he won't ask for any. But I can't let this go on!" she yells out in her internal monologue.

Staring out the window that's right next to her seat, she begins to think. "I need to speak with him in private. He'll be hanging around the school's rooftop at lunch time. He'll be alone then, I know he will. I'll have to catch him."

Her ears are suddenly filled with the resounding ring of the school bell. Lunch time is upon them. She quickly gets up from her seat and heads for the door. She walks out into the main corridor of the first floor and starts heading toward the main staircase. Step by step, her determination leads her until, before the turning the corner, she catches a glimpse of President Shitori walking along with that red-haired she-devil. She instantly hugs the wall and begins to give off the impression that she's waiting for someone. The two of them walk on by without even noticing her. Luckily enough, they're coming from the direction to which she needs to go. She hurries her pace and heads off to the stairs at the very end of the hall. She finds the clean and untouched. She gets to the very top to find no one there.

"Issei. Issei," she starts to call out, but she gets no answer. "Where could he be?" she starts thinking. She starts to look into the rooms of the top floor, but finds nobody.

"Maybe he's still on his way," she thinks. "I did rush over here, after all."

She waits in one of the rooms that preside right over the courtyard, giving her the perfect vantage point.

"What'll I say to him?" she starts thinking as she looks off into the distance. A few minutes pass.

"Where is he? I didn't think it'd take him _this _long to get…" but her train of thought is interrupted by an unforeseen turn of events. Looking down over the courtyard, she catches sight of two students taking a stroll together. All in all, nothing too unnatural save for the fact that she can almost swear that, "...huh. From here, it almost looks like those two are Issei and Shiina," she thinks. "Wait a moment," she says to herself. She focuses her gaze and, "it is! It is Issei and Shiina! But what're they…? Revenge? Blackmail?" she thinks as her mind starts coming up with a plethora of dark motives for which Shiina could be taking Issei somewhere. Without wasting another second, she jets for the courtyard.

"Wasn't he satisfied with last night?" she thinks. "What's he going to do to him this time?"

She makes it to the courtyard and finds they've already gone.

"There's only one place those two could've gone that lies in _this_ direction," she thinks. "Shiina's special entrance."

She starts walking speedily toward the southern end of the school campus and sure enough, there they are.

"I'll have to tail them," she thinks as she hugs the trees so neither of them can see her. "But what can I do? I can't exactly overpower Shiina and there's no way I can call for help with my phone back in my locker. And no one's going to try to stop Shiina. I'll just have to wait it out."

As she hides herself, Issei and Shiina get closer to the wall.

"I understand you may be opposed to the idea of anyone else seeing this, Shiina; but was it absolutely necessary to bring us all the way out to the southern wing of the school campus? I know of other locations that hardly any other students visit," says Issei as he begins to flip through the pages of his notebook to find one empty.

"I don't doubt dat fer a second," replies Shiina. "I just fought dat ya might feel mo' comfortable wiv a li'l bit o' familia' scenery. Afta all, dis _is _da entrance ya used yesta'day, ain't it?"

Issei turns around to face Shiina. Shiina's face is unwavering, showing no emotions.

"I thought you wanted to put that behind us," says Issei.

"Our petty squabble has absolutely nothing to do with my bringing you here, Hyoudou. I'm afraid there's a more _divine _reason behind this event," says Shiina (?)

"You…you're not…" says Issei with suspicious eyes.

"And what if I'm not, fool?" replies Shiina. "There's no escape for you, now is there? No one knows we're here and I'm not going to let you escape. You're better off just doing exactly as I say!" he exclaims, a bright lavender glow emanating from his eyes.

"Who are you?" asks Issei in a cautious yet nonchalant tone.

"I don't have time for your idiotic inquiries, you flesh-fettered dung-spawn. This is beyond your mortal comprehension. Simply do as I say. Behave and I may just make it quick and painless."

Issei doesn't really know what else to say. The only thought that occurs to him is a flashback of this morning's vision.

_Either your rage kills you or __they __will. _

"You," he says to Shiina after remembering the vision. "You're one of _them, _aren't you?"

"So you know of us, do you?" replies Shiina with a playful smirk. "What forbidden secrets could she have told you, I wonder. You seem to have loosened that crimson shrew up quite nicely. It's no wonder then why she's so fond of you. My respects, boy."

Issei blushes a bit in embarrassment upon understanding the subtext of his statement.

"But I'm afraid your carnal conquest doesn't change anything. In fact, I'd say it only incentivizes what I'm about to do next. You're clearly too scared to cooperate so I believe a little encouragement is in order. Like, say: a good old pat on the shoulder?"

In that very moment, Shiina stretches his arm forth and grabs Issei by his shoulder. A stark sensation of stiffness begins to run through Issei's body as he involuntarily starts to stand up straight with his arms to his side and his notebook tucked tightly under one of his armpits.

"Wha-What's going on?" Issei exclaims.

"It's the best I can do with the limited power I can emanate from this pawn," says Shiina. "I just wish I could keep you from shouting, not that anyone's going to hear you. Either way, get moving."

The order given, Issei turns around and starts contorting himself so he can start crawling through the hole. As he does so, he can't help but to smile in melancholy. Crawling through the hole, his notebook still in his possession, he can't help but to think that, "perhaps this has been my fate all along. I can't run from it now, and I'm obviously dealing with someone or something way out of my league. I don't want to go this way, but I guess it's too late for that, isn't it?"

Crawling out of the other side, he finds himself standing before the view of a deep purple sky.

"What the? Where am I?" asks Issei.

"A simple illusion spell so we could pass undetected through this mortal realm," replies Shiina, exiting the hole and standing beside him. "Our destination lies in the middle of Kuoh Park. That's where I'm currently waiting for you two."

"Oh… I see," replies Issei.

"What's the matter? Were you expecting a more luxurious location to serve as your grave?"

"No. But you already have me under your control and you just told me we're in some illusory dimension which means no one's going to see us if you were to kill me right this very second. Not to mention that, where would you even dump the body? A park's full of people, you'll have even more witnesses. Though I guess with your being _divine, _you've little to worry about mortal eyes. But if that's the case, why not just kill me in the school? You said no one would be able to help me, so what was stopping you from ending my life then and there?"

Shiina is stunned by his reaction. "Are you seriously questioning my methods of execution? You're about to be released from this mortal coil and you're not even begging for your life? Any other person would be yelling at the top of their lungs, praying to whatever god they believe in, hoping that this is just a bad dream. Yet here you are, a being whose mere existence is not but a flicker when compared to the innumerable eons that make up my own, daring to criticize by what logic and reasoning I choose to carry out this homicide. Have you completely forgotten that you're dealing with a divine being? You ought to feel honored!" he exclaims in the last sentence.

"You think death is honorable?" asks Issei. "You think that there is virtue to be found in the premature loss of one's own life? Do you truly believe that the abrupt stop of a person's existence before they can fulfill their dreams, reach their goals, their ambitions; do you truly believe there is a solemn and sacrosanct sense of justice or righteousness to be had in all that? If so, then prithee, oh ascended one. By what god's own tongue are you named 'divine'?"

In that moment, Issei is swung around and grabbed by the collar of his shirt, being lifted a whole foot off of the ground.

"Now you listen here, you insolent, little vagabond. I didn't come all this way just to receive a lecture about the principles of life and death from a runaway bastard slave who was lucky enough to make it to seventeen. You have absolutely no right to even speak to me, understand? I am above, you are below. As far as you're aware, I _am _God."

Issei, observing the situation he's in, can't help but to chuckle a bit.

"AND JUST WHAT EXACTLY DO YOU FIND SO FUNNY?!" yells Shiina at the top of his lungs.

"You're God? It's no wonder then why _she _was so much more pleasant? But that's not even the worst part. You'd think that an all-powerful, all-knowing deity would be able to shut me up and make me accept my fate with words alone, but here you are getting angry and simply reminding me of how low I rank on the scale of beings and existences. You think I don't know where I stand? You think I'm blind to the fact that I'm dealing with something from beyond the realm of humans? I've been doing it since yesterday. I've stumbled into a world in which I'm not welcome and so I'm obviously paying the price for that. But don't go calling yourself God as though that alone could suffice as a justification for what you're about to do to me. If you're going to take someone's life, you could at least show some integrity about it. But don't paint this as something more sacred or holy than what it actually is. Believe you me, I don't need you to give me a reason for all this. You're just going to kill me. Nothing more, nothing less."

Shiina's stunned. He doesn't know what to say. What can he say?

"So be it," he says as he sighs. "Interpret this in whatever way you want. Just keep moving."

With this said, he sets Issei down onto his feet and the both of them continue making their way to Kuoh Park through the dark dimension which hides their presence.

"Just my luck," thinks Dohnaseek. "How was I supposed to know he'd have such a silver tongue?"

"I told ya he was different," replies Shiina. "He ain't afraid o' deaf no more. But I guess ya can go ahead and blame _me _fo' dat."

"I don't remember asking for your opinion," snarks Dohnaseek. "Either way, there's no stopping what comes next."

"I guess ya right," answers Shiina. "Still, he gotcha pretty good dere. By what God's tongue are you named 'divine'? Ya realize dat he just basically toldja datcha ain't shit? I just hope da warranty's still good on dat heavy ass mic dat he just got frough droppin' on ya saw-ree ass."

"I can't believe this is happening," thinks Dohnaseek. "I'm just glad no one followed us through the hole." But who would've guessed it? That back at Kuoh Academy, back in the realm of humans, behind the southern wall of the school, a young girl was frantically looking for where the two boys had headed off to.

"There's no way," thinks Aika. "I literally went through the hole a minute after they'd left, how could they've already gotten so far?"

She looks around in a panic, but can't see them anywhere. "Damn it!" she yells internally. "Why am I always so useless?!"

She leans against the wall and starts to think. "Where would Shiina take Issei?" A few moments pass, but her mental divination yields her no feasible results.

"I'm sorry, are you Aika Kiryuu?" a voice suddenly asks her. She looks to her left and finds a dark-haired girl wearing another school's uniform standing beside her.

"Y-Yes," she replies. "Is there something I can help you with?"

"It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Yuuma Amano and…there's a favor I'd like to ask of you."

_**Now, I know what you're thinking, but before you express your anger and miscontent at my long, undue hiatus, just please take the time to remember that I was busy with work and university. Anyways, hello again, my Dear Readers. Yes, I'm back. I'm really close to the climax of this arc. The stage is set and all the actors are in their places. I hope to have the next chapter out by this 31st. It's a real stretch, so please wish me luck guys. Thanks. I'll be seeing you all in the next chapter.**_


	13. Chapter 13 - The sparks of rivalry

**Chapter Thirteen - The sparks of rivalry**

"What did you just say?" she asks President Sitri in an incredulous tone as her aura starts to rise and her blood begins to heat to a boil.

"Issei Hyoudou, Seiji Shiina. I saw them walking together through the courtyard. From the looks of it, it seemed like Shiina was leading him to the southern wing of the school. I can't imagine why though, there isn't really anything there."

Rias immediately thinks back to yesterday and this morning. "That son of a bitch," she says. "He wouldn't. Not after _I_ paid through the nose." Her aquamarine eyes flicker to a deep, blood-soaked red. Her aura remains unseen, but Sona can feel her anger stirring deep inside.

"She wants blood," thinks Sona. "Hold on," says Sona to Rias. "I don't think it's really him. When they were walking through the courtyard I saw something rather strange in Shiina's eyes. A foggy lavender glow like those of someone possessed by a fallen angel. I don't think he's acting out on his own terms."

"I see," responds Rias. "So you mean to tell me that he's gone so far as to conspire with one of our enemy factions in order to get revenge on _my_ Issei?"

Sona is left speechless. Responding with wide and worried eyes, "well…I mean. I didn't think that at fir…"

"No worries, Sona. It's plainly visible he hasn't learned that he can't always get his way. No matter, I'll simply have to engrave that lesson into his very soul," she says as little embers of crimson red aura begin to appear beside them both and her red bangs start to cover her eyes. In that very instant, Rias lifts her hand. From her palm, a magic circle bearing the crest of her house begins to gyrate violently to the point that an unquenchable flame begins to dance in her hand.

"Hear, oh darkness which all things hides. Make me unseen to all other eyes. Let me sink into shadow and may your shade be my guise. That I may deliver unto my enemies their final demise," she chants as the magic circle begins to wrap around her, lowering itself until it reaches the floor. With her eyes shining like carbuncles she recites the final words. "Gremory Art: Shadow Sprites." In that very moment, her entire body starts to fade to black, consuming even the red light of her eyes. She melts into the floor like ink, leaving behind a perfectly circular puddle in the tainted aftermath. Then, little by little, wisp-shaped figures begin to emanate from the puddle, breaking off and swimming on the floor, walls, and roof, spreading about like actual ink till the puddle is completely gone. Nothing left behind save for Sona who, upon sensing the immense fury which burned deep within the very being of her childhood friend, could not but stand in a stunned stupor and wonder what fiery passion could bring Rias to so vehemently and indignantly seek to protect someone like _him._

"She's definitely going to murder that fallen angel," thinks Sona. "And she won't care if she has to take Shiina as well to do it."

Sona casts her own illusory spell, making herself invisible, and flies out of one of the windows toward the courtyard. "We can't kill humans, though," she thinks nervously. "If she slays Shiina and the fallen angel, that'll be two whole factions angered by the actions taken by our own. This isn't just any devil, Rias is royalty! Why does she so fervently choose to ignore that fact?"

Upon landing in the courtyard, she begins to look in the direction to which Shiina and Issei were walking. She makes her way to the southern wall and finds there nothing of much interest.

"Where could they have gone?" she thinks as she stares at the wall. Suddenly, she notices something. "Hmm, _these_ bushes don't seem like they belong here." And upon closer inspection, she observes their surrounding to discover, "there's a hole here!"

"Who did this?" she thinks; but she can already reasonably guess an answer. "Shiina," she says internally. "The scoundrel. Only someone like him would stoop so low as to have a secret entrance on school grounds. But how did he make this without my knowing? I'm a failure as a Student Council President," she thinks to herself. "But I guess I can address that later. So he and Hyoudou would've gone through here. Let's see what else I may be able to…"

"I'm tellin' ya, Daichi, da boss is gonna kill us if he finds out we wuz out hea' disobeyin' 'is ordas," rings a voice from behind.

Sona immediately turns around to find two young boys making their way toward the wall.

"Hold on," thinks Sona. "I've seen these two before." After a few moments, she realizes who they are. "It's Shiina's servants!" she exclaims internally.

"I don't care!" yells Sakaki to Daichi. "Da boss's been actin' real funny-like eva' since dis mornin' and dat shit jus' ain't sittin' right wit me! He's a diff-runt person. I mean, didja see da way he jus' up'n ignored us when we went'o say hi to'im dis afta'noon? He's always so, what's da word…?"

"Courteous?"

"Yes! Da boss's always so courteous wit' us. What's wrong wit'im? What happened last night? First he wanted dat Hyoudou guy's nutsack in an iron maiden, and now he's walkin' around wit'im like dey wuz teacha'n student. I mean, ain'tchoo even a li'l cure-ree-us 'bout wha's goin' on?"

"I'm sua' da boss 'as 'is reasons," responds Sakaki. "I fink it'd jus' be betta if we get sumfin'o eat and fo'get about all dis fo' now, don'tchoo?"

"Sakaki," begins Daichi, "are you seriously tellin' me right now dat'choo could give two shits 'bout what our boss's goin' frough?" asks Daichi, looking intensely into Sakaki's eyes.

"It's not dat," responds Sakaki. "It's jus' dat…"

"I see. So you two are also curious as to what Shiina is doing with someone like Hyoudou?"

The two of them immediately look behind them to find Student Council President, Souna Shitori, standing before them.

"Shit!" thinks Daichi. "It's da Student Prez. And if I just heard her right, she knows 'bout da boss and dat jackass, Hyoudou."

"I-I-I too ha-ha-have be-been wo-wondering what a st-st-student like Sh-Sh-Shiina would be do-do-doing wi-with s-s-someone like H-H-Hyoudou," she manages to stutter out to the two boys, tiny droplets of sweat beginning to form on her forehead and upper lip. "What are you doing, Sona?" she thinks to herself. "These two delinquents are practically one sour mood away from being common criminals! Yes, I know. But maybe they can help me. I just need to assert myself before them as their Student Council President. And just what makes you think that these two will follow _your_ authority seeing that they refuse to follow that of the adult's? Simple. A common interest…I hope."

"Crap," thinks Sakaki. "So President Shitori knows. She prolly finks we're involvedd somehow. Damn it!" he yells internally as little droplets of sweat start to form on his brow.

"Fuck, I can't get expelled from this place," thinks Daichi. "If my parents were to find out that I got expelled from Kuoh Academy, they'd disown me!" thinks Daichi as even he begins to start sweating. "What do I do? What do I do?"

"I s-s-simply c-c-cannot allow s-su-such things t-t-to g-go b-b-by un-unnoticed. Th-Th-Therefore, a-a-as y-y-your S-S-Student C-Council P-P-President, I d-d-demand th-that y-you two t-tell m-m-me wh-wh-where Sh-Sh-Shiina t-t-took H-Hyoudou."

"Oh, they're really going to start spilling the beans now," she says to herself. "You really _asserted yourself_ there, didn't you?"

The two boys simply stare at Sona without answering.

"See? They think it's some sort of game. They're practically laughing at you, Sona. Alright then," she thinks. "I'll just have to put my foot down."

Sweating profusely, Sona tries her very best to cross her eyebrows at the two boys and frown at them.

"Shit," thinks Daichi. "She isn't happy. Fuck, what do we tell her?"

"Dis is bad," thinks Sakaki. "I ain't neva seen da Prez dis mad befo'."

Slowly, Sona starts raising her foot. "T-T-T," she begins to stutter out. "Oh for Lucifer's sake," she thinks to herself. "Just say it now!" she screams internally. Sona slams her foot down into the dust and in that very moment blurts out, "**TELLMEWHERETHEBOTHOFTHEMWENTRIGHTTHISINSTANT!**"

The two boys' eyes go wide. In that moment, Daichi falls to his knees. "Waah! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I promise I'll never be a delinquent ever again! I'll leave behind my evil ways! Begin anew! I swear that I'll grow up to be an outstanding and inspiring member of our society! I swear it on my life, President Shitori. So please, I beg of you. PLEASE DON'T EXPEL ME!"

Sona's absolutely speechless.

"But I fought ya wuz nuttin' but loyal to da boss!" interjects Sakaki.

Daichi looks back at his friend, gets up, and runs to his side while putting a hand over his mouth.

"Wouldjoo jus' shut up 'bout da boss fo' two seconds, ya numbskull?"

"But'choo wuz da one talkin' 'bout if I couldn't give two shits 'bout what happened to…" but Daichi presses his mouth down harder in order to muzzle the boys words.

"Could'joo jus' shut ya mouf fo' two minutes? Dis is da Student Council President we're talkin' 'bout he'a and she knows 'bout da boss and Hyoudou. If we don't wanna get our asses kicked outta dis joint and make our boss hafta get new membas den we're gonna hafta make a compromise and cooperate wit'er. Don'tcha see? It's still all fo' da boss."

Sakaki thinks his words over. _"I fink I see what'cha mean," _he says in a muffled voice.

"They're willing to cooperate!" she thinks to herself, her devil ears allowing her to hear what Daichi's been saying. "Very well then," she says to them. "I-If you're w-w-willing to c-c-cooperate with m-me, th-th-then I p-promise th-that neither one of y-you t-two will be s-s-seriously r-reprimanded."

"We've got a chance," whispers Daichi.

"But we don't actually know where the boss is. Plus, he'll be real pissed if we get'im in trouble with the Student Prez," responds Sakaki.

"We'll find'im wit'out President Shitori trailin' behind us. I jus' got'n idea. Follow my lead."

Daichi moves from his friend's side and stands before Sona. "We'll be more than happy to take you to da boss. I mean, take you to where Shiina and Hyoudou are. There's just one little problem, President Shitori."

"Oh no," thinks Sona. "He's going to do something unlawful."

"I'm afraid we'll have to crawl through this hole," he says as he walks toward the bush and reveals the opening. "It really is the fastest way. Not to mention that we'll most definitely want to get to them before any _unfortunate accidents _can take place. Wouldn't you say?" he asks Sona. "Perfect," he thinks. "There's no way in hell a girly girl like the president will follow through with crawling along a dark and dusty tunnel."

"That's everything?" she thinks. "All right, then."

"I see," she says. "Very well, then. Please lead the way."

Daichi feels a chill run down his spine, ending in a weightless feeling in his legs which almost makes him collapse to the ground. "B-B-But, P-President Shitori. It's d-d-dark a-and d-dusty. Y-You'd g-g-get your u-uniform a-a-all d-d-dirty."

"A necessary evil," she responds as she shakes her head. "What kind of president would I be if I were to value the state of my uniform over the lives of my student body?"

"Wow," responds Sakaki. "Prez Shitori su'a is a great person. Don'tcha fink, Daichi?" as he looks over to his friend.

"Y-Yeah," he responds in a daze. "Just the definition of admirable. No time to lose, then. Let's go."

With this said, he crawls into the hole followed by Sakaki and President Shitori. Unbeknownst to them however, there are already two people on the other side waiting for them.

"You wish to save him, right?" she asks Kiryuu.

"Right now, more than anything else!"

"Would you be willing to do anything? Even to go so far as to cross borders not walked by normal humans and give your life if such should be necessary?"

"He was prepared to do the same for me," she responds. "Of course I'd do it for him."

"Then you can save him. And the good thing is, I think we'll be getting some help."

In that moment, Daichi, Sakaki, and Sona all appear from the hole. Dusting themselves off, they take notice of Kiryuu and the other girl.

"You!" exclaims Daichi at Kiryuu. "You're dat Hyoudou guy's ex-girlfriend! What happened last night wit'im and da boss? Why's our boss trailin' behind dat creep like a dog?"

Kiryuu's taken aback by his line of questioning. "I should be the one asking you what your boss is doing with Issei. His debts to him have already been paid. What more could he want from him?"

"Our boss had debts wit' Hyoudou?" asks Sakaki.

"You idiot, what would our boss owe'im? She means da debts dat Hyoudou had wit' da boss!"

"Wait, Hyoudou was borrowing money from Shiina?" asks Sona.

"No!" exclaims Kiryuu. "Issei had some sort of inherited debt with…"

"ENOUGH!" shouts the raven-haired girl at the top of her lungs, making everyone stop talking. "This is no time for contextualization. You all wish to find the ones named Hyoudou and Shiina, correct?"

"Yes!" they all respond in unison.

"Very well then. I'm going to be breaking _a lot_ of rules by doing this and this is sure to have horrible, unprecedented consequences down the line, but I guess there's no choice. You," she says, looking directly into Sona's eyes. "I know we may have had our differences in the past, but trust me when I tell you this is much more important."

With this said, she spreads her pitch-black wings, revealing what she truly is. They're all launched into a state of shock as the dark feathers, fallen from her aerial extremities. begin to fall around them.

"There's no need to hide it anymore," she says to Sona. "We need to work together on this. Please, help us."

Everyone looks back at Sona. "She's a fallen angel! She's willing to help. She's part of an enemy faction! She doesn't care about the differences between the factions. We could stand to face serious ramifications! If she's going so far as to reveal herself this openly and team up with us then whatever she's trying to prevent must be unspeakably worse than any consequences we'd stand to face from the High Council. We can justify this. DO IT, SONA!"

"V-V-Very well. It's plain to see that you're trying to stop something calamitous from happening. Whatever our past may have been, I'll help you."

With this said, Sona spreads her bat-like wings and reveals her pointed tail to everybody.

"What. The. Fuck," replies Daichi.

"OWW!" yells Sakaki.

"What's wrong?" asks Daichi.

"I just pinched myself real hard in da butt to make su'a I wasn't dreamin'. I ain't."

"Kiryuu," says Yuuma. "I asked you if you'd be willing to cross borders untouched by normal humans. Do you still stand by your word?"

She looks between Yuuma and Sona. "I'm getting involved in something way beyond my understanding," she says. "I'm just a normal high school girl who's never really done or been known for much. I'll admit, I probably shouldn't have even gotten out of bed this morning. I don't even know how I did. But right now, Issei's in danger; and that's all that really matters to me. All _this_ is just…details. No offense."

Yuuma chuckles at her final words. "None taken."

"And you two," says Sona to Daichi and Sakaki. "Are you two willing to do the same for Shiina?"

"O' course!" responds Sakaki. "No matta what comes our way, we'll get frough it all fo' da boss! Ain't dat right, Daichi?!" he exclaims, turning his head to look at his friend.

Daichi's found with his head tilted downward and his arms shaking. "Heh, heh, heh. I really fucking envy your conviction, Sakaki. Did you know that? You're always so straightforward, so honest. You don't care about danger or consequences, or anything like that. You're authentic. Me? I just have to fake it and hope that no one notices, you know? And it really fucking gets to me sometimes."

Suddenly, Daichi feels a hand put over his shoulder. Looking forward, he finds Sakaki smiling at him. "We ain't always got all da answas, Daichi. But dat's okay, I fink. I fink, maybe dat's life, ya know? Ya gotta discova it as ya go along. But if dere's one fing I do know, it's dat you wuz right 'bout _dis. _Boss might be in dange'a and we gotta help'im no matta what."

Everyone is speechless. What an unexpected turn of events; but after a few moments, Yuuma begins to speak. "Very well then. We've no time to lose. Let's go, everyone."

"Just a moment!" interjects a voice from behind.

A flurry of wisp-shaped shadows soon produces itself from the surrounding environment. Gathering themselves at Sona's side, they start rising up from off the ground and shape themselves into the silhouette of a young woman, Soon enough, the blackness begins to melt away to reveal in its place, "Rias Gremory?" announces Kiryuu; and with her wings and tail revealed as well.

"I'll be going as well," says Rias. "I heard every last word; and believe me, I've no qualms about putting our differences aside and working together."

Nevertheless, whom she finds staring at her angrily is the last person she'd expect. Her gaze shifts to meet the eyes of Kiryuu. Everyone can feel it as well. These sparks that she's giving off. The sparks of rivalry.

_**Okay, three days late, fair enough. How's everybody doing? I hope you all find yourselves well. Me? I'm doing pretty good. Birthday's coming up soon this month and I'll be getting a whole week off from work so I'm looking forward to that. What do you think of this chapter? I know, I pulled some characterization out of nowhere with Daichi and Sakaki. Who actually remembered them? Just me? Yeah, I guess. So, tension between Aika and Rias. What's Yuuma's plan? What consequences does Sona stand to face? We'll just have to find out. I guess the majority of you have noticed this by now, but I quite literally make up the story as I go along. Don't get me wrong, I think of the major scenes I want to write, but then I just fill in the blanks as I see fit. I personally think it makes my writing sloppy, but what do you guys think? I think there's always room to improve. **_

_**When I finish this arc, I want to put a little "Get to know the author" section where I tell you guys some stuff about me. Little tidbits at the end of every chapter where I share some stuff about me. So, what's today's tidbit. Well, so far in the story we've seen dialogue's in French and Portuguese that offer some linguistic breaks from the norm. You're probably wondering then. Sinuhe, what's your native language? The answer is that I'm a compound bilingual, someone raised with two mother tongues, and they're English and Spanish. I'm learning French and Portuguese, actually. If you're curious as to what I sound like when I speak Spanish, my friends and I have a YouTube channel called "Los Miopes de Metrópolis" (The One-Eyed Men of Metropolis). Check out some of our Fandubs. Specifically the ones for Ed, Edd n Eddy; Dragon Ball Super, and Courage the Cowardly Dog. In the end credits you'll see they name "SINUHÉ" with an acute accent over the "E". Those characters are interpreted by myself.**_

_**Now, I know what you're thinking. Sinuhe, isn't using your fanfic and its popularity to promote viewership on your YouTube channel shameless and in bad taste? And yes, yes it is. So give it a view or two. I don't know how many of you actually speak Spanish, but if you're learning Spanish, it may come in handy.**_

_**For now, farewell, everyone. We'll see each other in the next chapter.  
Por ahora, adiós a todos. Nos veremos en el próximo capítulo.**_


	14. Chapter 14 - Whenever you're ready

**Chapter Fourteen - Whenever you're ready**

"Is…something wrong?"

"Yes, something's wrong! What're you doing to Issei?"

She blushes, being taken aback by the question. "I don't believe that question concerns y…"

"It concerns me when you're taking advantage of my best friend, using him like your own personal clown to mock and laugh at! How could you just embarrass him like that this morning? Is that why you helped him? Because you're just some sick, sadistic, little daddy's girl who gets her kicks out of helping others only to turn around and torture them yourself?"

She gulps down some saliva. What can she say?

"It isn't like that," responds a voice from behind. It's Yuuma.

"And how exactly would you know? Let me guess. You two know each other?"

"No, we don't. But there isn't time for that. His life may be at stake and every second counts. Whatever dispute you two may have can be settled after this is over. If nothing else, look at it this way. If he really were nothing more than a clown to her, do you honestly believe she'd have come all the way here?"

Aika meets the question with an angry look, but in absolute silence.

"Good. We have to get moving, **now. **So everyone, stick together and follow me."

She raises her hand, swings it downward in a slicing motion, and a shaft of lavender light begins to appear. It opens, revealing a tunnel of sorts.

"Now then, let's get moving."

One by one, they begin entering the portal, but before she goes in, she looks at Rias.

"He's too good for you, you know? But a princess like you probably wouldn't know the the first thing about the difference between deserving something and just being lucky enough to have it fall to your feet from the sky. I might not fully understand what's going on or who you, President Shitori, or Amano might be; but it doesn't matter. I'm saving Issei."

She walks into the portal, leaving a stunned Rias behind to contemplate. On the other side however, our two sojourners successfully arrive and are greeted by the panorama of the park fountain and a multi-colored sky dressed in a bounty of invernal hues. The two of them walk toward one of the park benches and find sitting there a man with a trench coat and a fedora. Nonetheless the most captivating of his qualities is not his choice in apparel but the enormous, black, angel-like wings which, observing him from the front, one would be led to believe protrude from around his shoulder blades, if not from the bones themselves. His mug is most striking with eyes shut firmly and a stark frown so disapproving that he gives the impression of being indescribably distressed about some personal matter. Yet as our two walkers between the worlds approach him, his gaze is revealed and his eyes fall directly upon, "Issei 'João Nakamura' Hyoudou."

"..."

"What's the matter, boy? No more perspective? Are you running short on philosophy?"

"..."

He immediately stands up and walks over to Issei's side. Standing in front of him, he scowls right into his eyes.

"Where's all that big talk from before, huh? What's wrong? Has the horror of what's about to happen finally dawned on you? Has the fear left you speechless? Or are you still holding onto that foolish illusion that your principles and virtues make you better than me?"

"...you said it, not I," is his only response as he meets his scowl with a disinterested gaze.

He roars, turning his back on the boys and pacing back and forth.

"Aren't you even the least bit curious?" he asks. "I know you're in a relationship with her, but haven't you wondered as to the precise reason for all this?"

"I've got a pretty good guess."

"Well it's _not_ because of your relationship with _her."_

"Really now? Well darn, looks like I was wrong. Guess I'll find out in death."

"Do you honestly have no interest?"

"Are you _honestly_ going to keep tracing circles around the subject until I beg an answer out of you out of sheer, unquenched curiosity? I feel like I'm tip-toeing on the length of the world's longest needle."

"I don't comprehend your analogy."

"That's because it's a metaphor, not an analogy."

"Well then what's the metaphor?!"

"The meta is for the self-reference of a creative work."

"What creative work?"

"The act of tip-toeing on the length of the world's longest needle."

"Can we just skip the needle and get straight to the po…?"

"..."

"Out of all the humans I've ever killed, you will undoubtedly go down as the most condescending; but also as the most clever."

"Very well; but it changes nothing."

"Fair enough, Hyoudou. Fair enough. Still, before I take your life, I guess I can afford myself _one _luxury."

"And what would that be?"

"I want to see you enraged!" he announces in full bravato.

"...I'm afraid I don't follow."

"Why are you so emotionless? So indifferent? Does death at the hands of a divine being really have no effect on you in the slightest? Earlier you were talking to me about dreams. About goals and ambitions. These concepts are practically alien to me yet you spoke of them with such zeal that I can't help but to think there's something, a regret you'll leave behind in this world the moment you meet death's embrace. I'll be honest, I'm curious as to what that may be."

Issei raises his eyebrow. "Why does this interest you? _You_ of all people? You just got through berating me for my existence alone and _now_ you choose to show interest?"

"What can I say? Yours is a stark juxtaposition to the previous inheritors of the Red Dragon Emperor's awesome power. _They _were all hot-headed and stupidly impulsive, succumbing to their primal rage like savage animals with no sense of reason or discipline. Granted their tenacity was enough to rival even the fiercest beings in all of creation, they all fell victim to the Dragon's rage; but _you. _Why would the Welsh Dragon be inherited by one so cavalier about his own fate? It's downright illogical. Illogical, that is, until you take into consideration what caliber of choler might be secretly scorching within the very soul of that person? The very thought of it is almost enough to chill my blood, but not enough to stamp out the flame of my interest."

He thinks back to this morning's dream. Is it true? Does he harbor such hot ire?

"If you say so," responds Issei. "But I'm afraid you'll cull no anger from me. Mayhaps a tear or two, but no anger. I'll confess that I often feel lonely, and that mine is a broken heart; but I'd never lash out blindly against the world. How could I? I've known pain. I've known hurt. But I've known mercy. And I've known love. I've known opprobrium. I've known disesteem. But I've also known goodness. And I've known integrity. If this ancient anger which seeks to threaten the world is reason to blot me out from it, then so be it. If it can end with me, or even be stopped for a time, then I will take that death in earnest. But I'd be lying if I said I there isn't something I wanted to do, a dream I wished to make come true, before saying goodbye forever and taking my place among oblivion."

"I see. So then, Hyoudou. Tell me. What is this dream you wish to make come true?"

"It's right _here. _Tucked tightly under my arm."

He gestures toward the notebook in his possession. Taking a few steps forward, Dohnaseek slips the book and writing utensil out from under Issei's arm. He opens it up to a random page.

_Allusion:  
To call something into mind without stating it explicitly. Distinct from analogies, allusions are implicit instead of explicit._

Flipping through the pages, he goes to the very first page and finds a childish drawing of a stick figure spouting words to the thunderous applause of a crowd of people.

"An orator?" asks Dohnaseek. "You wish to carve your name into the pages of history through the art of speech?"

"Yes," says Issei, nodding his head.

"I see. And this drawing. When did you make it?"

"I was only twelve years old at the time."

"So you've worked toward this ambition for five whole years, I'd take it?"

"Yes. It's all I truly desire."

"And how far would you go? Would you fight till the very end for it?"

"Given a chance, I would do whatever it takes."

Dohnaseek rubs his chin as he flips through the pages. "Just a chance, you say. Yes, indeed. A chance is all it truly takes after all."

In that moment, he shoots his arm forward and opens his palm over Issei and Shiina. "I release you both from your bonds," he says.

"DON'T TRUST'IM, HYOUDOU! YOU GOTTA GET BACK YA NOTEBOOK!" a voice rings out.

Issei twitches in surprise from Shiina's shout, raising his arms in a defensive stance. Their eyes widen in realization of what's just happened.

Dohnaseek gives a hardy laugh. "Yes, that's it! A chance! A chance for the both of you! So how about this? I propose a friendly little wager!"

"A wager?" asks Issei.

"Don't trust'im, Hyoudou. He ain't nuffin' but a two-timin' crook, ya hear?"

Issei looks over to the boy.

"Ya gotta believe me. All dat shit I did was because o'him. He had me unda his control or sumfin. He used some weirdass magic spell and had me walkin' and talkin' like some puppet. Don't trust'im. He's a fuckin' rat."

Dohnaseek laughs at Shiina's plight. "So I'ma rat now, is that it? Hyoudou, might I remind you that this is the same person who just last night was beating you to a bloody pulp, smashing you against the steel beams of an abandoned warehouse, trying to appropriate your words, though quite horrifically, all in a ploy to steal _her _heart? Be honest with yourself. Should you really be trusting _him _of all people?"

"What da? How'd you find out 'bout…"

"Complete access to your memories, boy. And I must say, I've met my fair share of rotten apples, but you are just absolutely putrid. Come now, do you truly believe a boy like him could change in just one night? He's lying through his teeth and he knows it. Just look at him. You can see it plastered all over his face, he's completely aware of how disingenuous his whole charade is."

Issei examines the distressed look on Shiina's face. He knows _that _look all too well. Well-intentioned, but misunderstood. Made to look bad by past deeds.

"When we spoke this morning. Did you mean it? Do you truly wish to change for the better?"

"I meant every last word of it. I know I ain't been nuffin' but an asshole as da school's guardian, and dere prolly really ain't a way I could make up fo' all da unfo'givable shit I put'cha frough last night; but if dere was eva a moment in my life when I was bein' honest, it was den when I spoke to ya. Ya ain't like most people, Hyoudou. Believe you me, I just found dat out da ha'dest way possible. I can't even begin to process half o' all da shit dis dude just said. Talkin' 'bout muhfuckin' dragon emperas and shit. I don't know 'boutchoo, but dat shit's way above _my_ pay grade, ya feel me? But what I toldja dis mornin', I meant it. And I put _dat _on my life."

"Oh, well isn't that heart-warming? Once bitter rivals turned allies by a common enemy. I guess the truest friendships really are those born from enmity. Nonetheless I still say you're making a mistake. But anyway, about that wager. You've yet to give me a definite answer."

"How about elaborating on it instead of just trying to pique my interest out of ambiguity alone?"

Dohnaseek gives a surprised look and then chuckles to himself. "Ah, yes. I've forgotten how tired you get tip-toeing on the lengths of needles."

He holds the notebook forward before Issei and Seiji. "Tell me something, Hyoudou. If you were to leave this world behind with nothing more than this notebook to serve as a memento for your life, what would you like to have done with it?"

Issei begins to think about his answer. "Publish it. I'd like it to be transcribed onto a manuscript and then published into the world with nothing more than my name and photo. That way I'd be able to rest easy knowing that even if I wasn't able to become the world's greatest orator, someone would come along, take from my life's work, and do it in my stead."

"So though you'd be dead, your words would live on for you?"

"Yes."

Dohnaseek cackles heartily at this declaration. "I see. Even from the depths of futility, you still find a way to cling onto hope. What we angels call faith. But I should warn you, boy. He who knows faith is condemned to cross paths with failure. Nevertheless you must be tenacious enough to overcome that failure. And I know for a fact you harbor such tenacity. So here's my wager."

He snaps his fingers and an hourglass appears at his side.

"You'll have one hour to best me and take the notebook back from me. If you can do that then I will free you and let youlive, Hyoudou. However, should you fail, your fate shall be with me. Make your choice. The other one's already outlived his purpose. He may do as he pleases. But if he gets involved, I can't say there isn't a slight chance I might accidentally kill him."

"I suppose you'll be taking your leave then, Shiina. I don't blame you. This isn't your…"

**"LIKE HELL IT AIN'T!" **

Issei twitches in surprise as his eyes widen to meet Seiji's gaze.

"Listen 'o me, Hyoudou. As fa'z I'm conce'ned, I gotcha into dis mess, right?"

"Well, to be fair it…"

"Which means I'm da one responsible fo' all dis. So I'm pretty su'e dis is my problem. And if I can't solve my problems, well den dat's a pretty big fuckin' problem."

Issei can't help but to smile at Seiji's words.

"I'm not really comfortable with having someone else fight in my battles with me, but I'd have to be the most untimely wastrel in the whole world to say that I don't appreciate it from the very bottom of my heart. But you know what's at stake, right? You could die."

Seiji chuckles. "Listen, Hyoudou. Guys like myself, we don't dese've to live. So befo'e I plummet into da depfs o' hell, lemme do sumfin' good fo' once in my life. Lemme leave dis wo'ld on a high note befo'e I take my place in da one from down below."

"Shiina," says Issei in surprise. "That was…unexpected, to say the least. Have you been…?"

"I wanted to impress ya a bit at lunch time today. I know it needs some wo'k, but it's a sta't, right?"

"Yes. It's most definitely a start."

"But enough 'bout dat," he says as he turns to Dohnaseek and produces a pair of brass knuckles from his pockets. "Let's getchoo dat notebook back."

Dohnaseek laughs at the sequence of events. "Now won't this just be fun? I've got an even better idea now. I won't use my hands to try and directly block you. Consider it a gift out of pity. Now then," he says as a starting line is magically drawn in front of the two boys and the hourglass is turned over without the sand dripping yet, "whenever you're ready."

* * *

_**Is this character development? No, I'm being serious. Is this character development? Did I do this right? Does this feel shallow? I don't know. I hope you can tell me. Once again suffering from my habit of just discovering the story as I go along, I feel as though I'm taking much too long to get to the climax of this. I feel like I'm doing what Akira Toriyama did for the Buu Saga. A lot of cool things that got put in, but that didn't really affect the overall finale of the story. Maybe I can fix that with the final chapters (of this arc, not the story. Don't start breaking out in a nervous sweat on me yet. Please.) So, how is everyone? I hope you all find yourselves well. I'm going to confess that I had this chapter ready last night, but I didn't post it immediately this morning because, and I wish I were kidding, I got caught up in playing Majora's Mask. In my defense, I'm doing it in French as a form of practice. Je suis enfin rentré dans le Temple de la Grande Baie. (Rentré ou entré ? Je n'en suis pas si sûr.) But anyways. I hope you enjoy the chapter and the story thus far. And we'll see each other in the next chapter.**_

_**FUN FACT ABOUT THE AUTHOR: I was raised in South Florida. I am a Florida man.**_


	15. Chapter 15 - The battle to come

**Chapter Fifteen - The battle to come**

"Their curse unleashes an almost mythical amount of misfortune upon the bearer's life. The rage produced is then said to consume the bearer's very being, resulting in a way for them to find each other again so that their battle may continue. The problem is that these battles bring about practically irreparable casualties for all the parties unlucky enough to get caught within the cross-fire."

"And so that is why you hunt down the inheritors so adamantly."

"Precisely. We are tasked with detaining them by any means possible, even if it should mean murdering them outright."

"So then why did you never approach him?"

"I was much too skeptical about the whole matter. My superiors all assured me that he'd inherited the Red Dragon, but he didn't exhibit any of the usual character traits that are a staple of such inheritors. Where others were arrogant, he's humble. Where others were furious, he's depressed. He doesn't even exhibit the mindset. I mean, what does he even strive to be?"

The two of them look over to Rias who had been silently listening to the conversation without partaking in it.

"Rias," says Sona, "you spent an entire day with him practically. I know I'm the last person who should be asking you this, but what did he tell you? You told me he spoke to you about his dream. What's his goal in life?"

Rias looks down at the floor. "He…"

"He wants to become a public speaker. He wants to inspire others with his words," rings out a voice from the opposite side.

The three of them look over to Aika.

"I see. Just as I suspected. Even his ambitions are nothing noteworthy."

"But what about the curse you were speaking of?" asks Sona. "You said it brings great misfortune upon the bearer's life. What's known about his past?"

"_I _don't know much. My superiors sent me on this mission at least one month ago. I was to either neutralize him or report back. But there wasn't anything to report on. And how was I supposed to neutralize a boy who wasn't even a troublemaker, much less a threat to supernatural beings?"

"So you just had to take their word for it."

"And nothing else. All right, we're here."

"What?" they all say.

"We haven't even been walking for a minute," responds Aika.

"I'm afraid you'll find that time works much more differently in here. But there's no time to explain. Quickly!"

With this said, she tears open another rift and they all step through.

…***...*...*...**

Crossing the line, the sand starts dripping as the two of them rush the Fallen Angel.

"Charging at me like wild bulls? Come now, Hyoudou! Don't tell me a boy as bright as you is _that_ predictable!" he says, laughing at the two boys.

He spreads his wings and prepares to blow them away.

"Shiina, now!" screams Issei.

Shiina pulls out one of his brass knuckles and expertly launches them at Dohnaseek's face, making him duck down in response in response.

"Sly, little bastard," he thinks.

But his period of mental execration is cut slight by the sight of Shiina appearing suddenly in front of him. In a split second does his reaction muster and, notably, a bit flustered, he flaps his wings to send himself back flying. But so hastily does he flap his wings that he underestimates the strength in his feathered extremities and falls. Shiina slips, stretching his arm out to try and grab onto any part of Dohnaseek, but is met by the cruel grey mistress known as hard asphalt. Issei, staunch and steady in his determination, lunges toward Dohnaseek who is now flat on the ground.

"I don't think so!" he says, and using the momentum from the flap of his wings, he raises his legs, rolls backward, and lands on his feet, much farther away from Issei then before. With no time to lose, he takes to the skies with Issei following close behind.

"I'm not letting you get away that easily!"

And in a forceful bound, he succeeds in grabbing onto one of Dohnaseek's ankles just before he's able to completely escape his reach.

"Why you persistent little. Get off!"

He tries to shake his leg as best he can, but soon finds that Issei isn't quite as scrawny as he might seem at first glance. He flaps his wings harder, hoping the force might make his grip loosen; but to no avail. He feels the tight, burning, and painful sensation around his ankle begin to dig deeper as Issei drives even his nails into his skin through the fabric of his pant leg. Dohnaseek immediately stops flapping his wings, instead flapping upward, launching himself toward the ground, hoping to drive his shoe into Issei's eye. But Issei, bracing himself for the fall, lands on his feet. Dohnaseek lifts his free leg and prepares to kick Issei down.

"Off with you, you little bastard!"

But before his blow can connect, he feels another hand wrap around his other ankle.

"Not so fast, asshole. Don't forget dat I'm still here."

Mustering all their strength, they pull him down and succeed in laying him flat on the ground, but before he hits the asphalt, he throws the notebook upward. Spread out on the floor, he takes a deep breath and launches the notebook even higher.

"Damn it!" yells Shiina. "Quick, cover his mouf wit' sumfin'!"

Issei takes off his jacket and prepares to try and hold it over Dohnaseek's mouth as Shiina holds down his other ankle. Issei grips the sleeves and as soon as he tries to put it over Dohnaseek, he finds himself lifted into the air. Letting out a yell of surprise, his feet leave the ground and his arms raise. His eyes widening, Dohnaseek comes to realize the mistake he's just made.

"No!" he yells.

"Hyoudou! Grab it!"

Issei, knowing he can't let go of either sleeve, times his swing and, "there it goes, Shiina! Catch it! Don't worry about me! I'll hold him down!"

Shiina lets go of Dohnaseek's ankles and makes a break for it. Issei lets go of one of the sleeves and immediately starts to plummet toward Dohnaseek. But once again, he proves his dexterity by moving out of the way at the last moment. Issei tries to cushion his fall as best he can, but is jolted strong by the impact.

"I won't make the same mistake again," says Dohnaseek, and he blows Issei away with a flap of his wings before he can recover. With no time to lose, he takes to the skies. In the blink of an eye, he's directly above Shiina. One more time, using another flap of his wings, he pushes him down to the asphalt. Knees bent, he refuses to stop moving. He reaches out, arm extended, and his fingertips can almost touch the cover; but before he knows it, his hand's crushed under the weight of someone's heel.

"Whether it's a blessing or a dream, you'll fight with us all the same," he says as he picks up the notebook. "But I can't help but to think you're still missing the po…"

His speech stops as the weight of someone's body lands over his shoulders. A pair of arms wraps around his neck and a pair of legs around his torso. His breath is cut short as he's immediately bent backwards as an enraged Issei yells at him.

"Give it! GIVE IT!" he screams at the top of his lungs as Dohnaseek flails about, trying to release himself from the young boy's grip. He tries to bend his wings inward toward his spine to knock him off, but soon finds that angel wings just don't really bend that way. He collapses onto one knee.

"What is this strength that courses through this brat's veins?" he thinks to himself. "If I throw it, I lose. I'll have to break my promise and use my hands. It's the only…"

"Issei!"

"Dohnaseek!"

"Boss!"

The three of them look off to the side to find a band of familiar faces.

"So it was you!" yells an all too familiar voice. Rias steps forward and begins walking toward Dohnaseek, paying no attention to anything else. Her eyes begin to glow red, a black and crimson aura starts to dance around her, her wings spread and even her tail sprouts from her tail bone, coming out from under her skirt.

"I'll forgive a human," she says, "but there'll be no mercy for the likes of you!"

She launches herself toward Dohnaseek without a second thought, her arm becoming engulfed in a deep, blood-red fire. Issei prepares to jump off, but notices in the corner of his eye the crack of a sinister grin on Dohnaseek's face. Rias nears and prepares to drive her fist into the fallen one's face when his arm shoots up, notebook in hand.

"Rias! NO!" yells Issei.

"STOP!" screams Seiji as he jumps forward, trying to save the book. But her rage has already consumed her. The next few seconds seem to pass by slowly as Issei witnesses the sparks fly from the cardboard cover. The crackle of the inferno shredding through each individual page echoes throughout the deepest parts of his ears. His body jets forward to try and save what he can, but he can only watch as the back cover begins to glow a bright orange and then gives way to her flaming punch. Dohnaseek ducks even more, the knuckles driving themselves into Issei's jaw as he's sent flying into a nearby tree. His face burns and his body stretches against the trunk like a wet rag doll. A final scream of pain leaves his body as he rebounds off the bark and lands back down over the rigid roots. Her eyes lose their red tone and the flames dissipate as it dawns on her what she's just done. Her eyes widen, she grabs her head, and falls to her knees. Shiina rolls on the ground, blowing upon his palm as he just barely grazed the flames, but still felt the heat.

"Boss, you all right?" asks Sakaki as the two of them run over to him.

"I'm fine, you bozos," he answers them. "Dat ain't da problem here. How's Hyoudou?"

The two of them look over to Hyoudou, who somehow found enough strength to limp on over back toward them.

"Issei…" says Rias. "I… I didn't…"

But his eyes only fall toward the cinders and ashes which now stain the asphalt. His bangs cover his eyes, but it can still be seen how the tears flow down his burnt cheeks. He falls to his knees over the ashes and begins hold them in his hands. Silence is all that follows from him. Sona and Aika try to walk toward them but Yuuma puts her arms out in front of them.

"Don't. Right now, whatever you do, do not get any closer."

"But…"

"It's too late, Kiryuu," says Yuuma. "I know you want to go and console him, but believe me when I tell you that that isn't Hyoudou anymore. Stay here and don't get any closer."

Yuuma then looks over to Dohnaseek.

"Are you happy now?" she yells at him. "Are you satisfied with what you've done?"

"Oh, don't worry. I will be."

"Rias, get out of there!" yells Sona. "I think I know what's going on! Come back here now!"

But her words fall on deaf ears. Rias makes herself over to Issei's side and takes him into her embrace, nestling his head under her chin. Suddenly, without a word, a deep and dark laughter begins to emanate from Issei. A laugh like nothing ever heard before.

"It's already begun," says Yuuma. "There's no turning back now."

"Issei?" asks Rias. "Are...you okay?"

She moves one of his bangs out of the way so she can see his face; and all she finds is a glowing, green, reptilian eye. Her eyes widen.

"Issei? Wha-wha…?"

« Pardonnez-moi, votre Altesse ; mais je crains que l'on ait déjà endormi votre cher poète. » (Forgive me, Your Highness; but I'm afraid Your dear poet has already been put to sleep.)

Rias immediately lets go of him and rises back to her feet.

[Song: _VOICE_ by _Cloud_]

Issei stands up and reveals the empty space where his mouth and nose are supposed to be.

"I have no mouth," he says, his voice ringing throughout the entire area, "and I must **SCREAM!**" he yells out as the empty space tears open to reveal a set of serrated teeth and smoking nostrils. A green flame begins to wrap around his arms, legs, head, waist, chest, and back. As they dissipate, they reveal his new limbs. Red, dragon-like arms and legs, red horns, a tail, wings, and an enormous green jewel over his chest. Shiina, Sakaki, and Daichi all get up and away from Issei.

"Yes! YES!" exclaims Dohnaseek. "After so many years, the wait at last is over!"

His glowing green eyes fall upon Dohnaseek and an overpowering chill engulfs his spine, paralyzing him where he stands. Issei disappears, teleporting behind Dohnaseek's back. His claws dig into the roots of his wings and with one pull of his arms:

"AAAHHH!"

His wings are wrenched out from his back. He throws them to the side and proceeds to grab him by the back of his neck, choking him with such force that it seems like his eyes are going to pop out. He launches the wingless angel into the sky, inhales deeply and bathes him in an emerald inferno. Not even a corpse falls as the flames fade to reveal a clear atmosphere.

"It's the Red Dragon," says Yuuma to Sona and Aika. "But his possession of Hyoudou is incomplete. His soul has not completely succumbed to the dragon's rage. We must act quickly. Shitori, I know of a way to save him and seal the dragon again, but it won't be easy."

"What do we need to do?"

"In the past, it took all three factions to seal away the Heavenly Dragons; but I'm afraid there aren't any angels who can help us. But that's why you're here," she says as she turns over to Aika. "Whereas we're born into a faction and can only count upon that faction's power, humans can become magicians and learn a much wider array of techniques than any supernatural being could hope to."

Aika looks over to Issei.

"I've never even believed in magic before, much less used it. But if this is the only way to save him, I'll do it."

"Count us in as well," replies Shiina, as he and his friends appear by their side.

"Umm, us?" asks Sakaki as he look over to Daichi.

"We're turning over a new leaf, boys," says Shiina. "We ain't da bad guys no more. Hyoudou's goin' frough some real tough shit right now. We're gonna get'm out of it."

"Thank you," says one last voice. "I thank you all."

They all turn around and find Rias who's in tears.

"I didn't mean to…"

"Hey," responds Shiina. "Believe you me, we all do stupid shit when we're mad and in love. But right now, while dere's still a chance to save him, we do what we gotta do."

All of them turn over to see Issei walking toward them and brace themselves for the battle to come.

* * *

_**Wow, it has been a looong time since I've uploaded. How has everyone been doing? Virtual classes have been awful, but thanks to Semana Santa here in [insert name of South American country] I've finally gotten enough free time to write this chapter. I feel like everything is finally building up and it's pretty cool. What do you guys think of my making the protagonist the ultimate bad guy (even though indirectly) at the end here? Will this be the end of Issei Hyoudou? Will our heroes be able to save his soul? Hopefully I can answer that question for you all soon enough. If any of you have any questions about the story, don't be shy and shoot me a PM. There are plenty of readers who can vouch for me and tell you that I love interacting with fans.**_

_**As for the insert song, it's the Japanese OP to the first season of Yu-Gi-Oh! That's the card game, not Season Zero. I chose it because I feel the lyrics capture Issei's emotions in that moment.**_

_**I also hope I've put a lot of you on edge as to how everything is going to turn out. I've thought this climax through more times than I can count and I'm certain I'm going to give this first arc an ending that's quite unexpected, yet will open up this fan series to so many more possibilities than I could've originally imagined.**_

_**I'll see you all soon in the next chapter and please, stay safe and stay inside. I haven't come down with anything, I wish you all the same.  
**_


	16. Chapter 16 - Enemy: Subdued

**Chapter Sixteen - Enemy: Subdued**

The churning of the park fountain mixes with the wind blowing through the trees. From in front of the watery monument, his claws prod and scrape against the asphalt as he makes his way toward the awkward alliance of fateful allies. The heavy odor of the green flames which had so promptly consumed the foolish fallen one still lingering in the air like the shadow of a swift death. His gaze is unmoving, unwavering; and no semblance of the once noble orator is to be found in the ophidian glare. Its sights set on them, it begins to inhale and prepare another blast. Forthwith, Yuuma raises her hands and produces a defensive field around everyone.

"This defensive field won't last forever and I don't know how many blasts it can take, so I need you all to listen and listen to me well," says Yuuma in a severe tone, her voice wearing the tension on the tip of her tongue. "We're looking at the worst-case scenario here."

"No thanks to _her_," interrupts an annoyed Aika, motioning to Rias with a gesture of her eyebrows.

"Now is _not_ the time to play the blame game, do you understand?," she asks, pointing at Aika with a shaking hand that takes her aback with widened eyes. "We need to cooperate. Lives are at stake here. Do I make myself clear?"

Everyone nods in unison, the first blast smashing against the defensive field and though the flames do not touch them, the heat is most definitely felt.

"Good. Now here's the mission. We must subdue the dragon, seal him, and whatever the cost, we must make absolutely sure that it does not leave this place. If for any reason it escapes and we're unable to stop it, it'll most likely go into hiding until it can attain its full power and then there'll be absolutely no stopping it. Now, what do any of you know about dragons?"

"Dey're reptiles… I fink? I'll shut up now," responds Daichi, his eyes trailing off in embarrassment.

"No, that's good. Keep going. If they're reptiles, that means they're…"

"Cold-blooded."

"Which means the most optimal way of subduing the dragon will be to lower its body temperature. From then on, we can finally focus on sealing it."

"But dat fing is literally spittin' flames at us! How are we s'pposed to get dat fing cold?" asks Seiji, the taste of sweat on his upper lip from the heat of the second blast.

"Glad you asked. The fountain right behind it is a perfect replica of the actual fountain from the real park. If we can get it cold, we should be able to use it to wear down the dragon."

"I… I think I can do us one better…," replies an unexpected voice. All eyes fall on Sona, her hands close to her chest as her gaze reflects the uncertainty of what she's about to say. She holds out her hand, and there, covering her palm.

"Icicles? No way," says Shiina as Sakaki and Daichi also huddle around him to see the icicles.

"My… My family specializes in w-water. Being the firstborn, I in-in-inherited my mother's ability to c-create ice. I could cool the water or maybe even…"

"Can you make weapons fo' us, Prez?" asks Sakaki, his eyes gleaming. "You could make like, uhh, a spear. Or a sword. Or, uhh, how 'bout a? Oh! I know! A giant snowball we could chuck at'im."

"I'm not so sure," she responds. "I'm still not that good at it, I'm afraid."

"What about magic?" asks Rias. Everyone's eyes turn to her as her eyes turn to Aika. "Earlier you were saying that humans can naturally channel magic. What if we have all the humans here use that to help Souna?"

They all look at each other. That could work!

"Listen," she says to Aika, "I know you don't want to believe me, but just listen. I already know what you're thinking, but I love him and I don't want to lose him; and I know you don't want to either. That means I'm counting on you, Shiina, and his friends to take that dragon down so we can save him. This isn't about money or about debts, okay? I just…," but her words are cut short by the tears flowing down the sides of her face. She bows her head as her hands wrap around Aika's wrists. Shaking, she can feel the regret in her grip as the third blast crashes against the defensive field.

_What makes you think I know?! So what if she finds out you made that for her?! What? Is she really that special to you?! You've only ever seen her from afar and she's never even noticed you! Does she really mean that much to you?! Look at you! You're a sad little poet dedicating verses to a girl who couldn't give two shits about what happens to you! Nevermind the kindness I did to you by dragging you all the way here! But of course _I _don't get a word of thanks, do I?! No, you just want to go ahead and sulk over a stupid drawing, some stupid lyrics, that you dedicated to someone who will __never__...__love __you__._

It all comes back to her as she sees reflected in her eyes the heartbreak of a lovestruck girl whose souls yearns for its companion.

"She really does love him," she thinks. "I guess it's true."

She looks over to the dragon preparing its fourth shot, back to Rias, and nods to everyone. "Then there's no time to waste. What do we need to do?"

"Everyone, hold hands with me," says Sona to the humans. "Focus on what you most desire right now to defeat the dragon and it should amplify my magic enough to give it to you."

Seiji takes her left hand, Aika her right, and Sakaki and Daichi stand in the center. A blue glow from under their feet gives way to the figure of a magic circle which grows in size till it encompasses them all. An icy wind blows, their desires mixing with her mystical inheritance; and a blinding flash emanates so brightly that even the dragon, who so determined was to break the defensive fied, had to stop to cover its eyes. Upon its dissipation, their eyes widen before the new sight of what lies before them.

Around Aika dance a flurry of sharpened icicles. Seiji holds over his hands two gauntlets of ice, a helmet over his head, and a suit of armor to withstand the heat. Daichi holds a giant shield. And Sakaki, a quiver over his shoulder, holds a crossbow. Equipped for their fight, there is but one problem.

"It's a bit too heavy," says Seiji. "I fink I went a little too overboard wit dis stuff."

Yuuma looks at them and finds even Sakaki and Daichi struggling with their weapons. Quickly, she produces from inside her uniform a single vial.

"I thought this might be of use."

"What is it?" asks Daichi.

"An elixir. It'll multiply the strength of whoever drinks it ten-fold for exactly two minutes. I'm not very good at making them so I'm afraid the effect won't last very long, but its potency is definitely nothing to scoff at. Aika's weapon doesn't weigh anything, but she can't go alone. She lacks defenses. One of you three who can _cover_ for her will have to take it."

Everyone's gaze shifts to Daichi.

"I'm countin' on you, Daichi. Make me proud," replies Seiji.

"You can do it, Dai. You're da man o' da hour now."

He feels his legs grow weak as the weight of it all finally hits him.

_We ain't always got all da answers, Daichi. But dat's okay, I fink. I fink, maybe dat's life, you know? You gotta discover it as you go along… _

The words ring in his mind as he looks back at Seiji and Sakaki and nods his head. Vial in hand, he looks at the dragon, preparing the fourth and what may just be the shot that'll make the defensive field give way. He closes his eyes, tilts his head back and drinks it down to the final drop. His eyes water as the hot, acidic liquid makes its way down his throat, but not in vain. Immediately he feels an indescribable surge run through his body as a sensation of weightlessness comes over him. Everyone is taken aback as he lifts the enormous shield without so much as a grunt of effort.

Looking at Aika, he responds, "Let's get going."

Putting down the arm with which she was maintaining the field, it fades away from around them.

"Here it comes!" yells Seiji as the dragon's chest pushes inward to release the emerald flames once again. Digging his feet into the asphalt, he holds the shield out in front of him and braces himself for the impact. The glowing, green wave collides against his shield as the flames wrap around them, but something is different. The heat is consumed and gives way to a gentle breeze. And best of all,

"The shield held!" exclaims Sona, overjoyed with a smile on her face.

"I've only got two minutes," says Daichi as his gaze shifts to Aika. "Follow me."

His feet dug into the asphalt, he begins to lead a charge against the dragon.

Running at his side, she asks, "What's the plan?"

"We need to knock it out, right? Here's what I'm thinking. Its flames won't break the shield and it probably won't even try to attack it head on. The only way out it'll have is taking to the skies, which is where you come in. If you can keep it on the ground or even poke some holes in its wings, then we've already won this."

"You really thought this through, huh?"

"Not really," he says as they near the dragon. "It's just your basic, run-o'-the-mill, nerd shit."

Just as expected, seeing them near it, the dragon spreads its wings and prepares to take to the sky. The sounds of its flap blows the dust away from in front of it as even the leaves from the tree tops are blown in a single direction. Anticipating this, Aika launches her icicles toward the dragon, some barely graze its head as others dig themselves into the wings. A sharp screech of pain echoes through the park as the dragon is brought back down. With no time to lose, Daichi gives a huge bound and prepares to drive the shield into the drake; but it dodges to the side, taking refuge behind the trees. Water and marble splash and spread in every direction as the fountain is crushed under the weight of Daichi's shield, breaking the jet and forcing the water much more strongly and much more higher into the air, resulting in an artificial rainfall. Thinking quickly, he holds his shield over the water jet and aims the icy liquid toward the trees where the dragon hides.

"He's got nowhere to run. This fight is over!" exclaims Daichi victoriously.

But he finds it short-lived. Before he can even react, a flaming, tree trunk hurtling through the air collides against his shield and breaks into a mess of ash and wood dust, blinding them both and making them step back coughing, trying to clear their throats.

"Dey're blind out dere!" yells Seiji.

"LOOK OUT!"

A roar breaks out from above them as they see the dragon right over them, it's chest full, fit to burst, and the jewel over it's chest glowing. It's going to kill them.

"I need to make a defensive…" but Yuuma's words are cut short by the exhaustion in her arms. She falls down to her knees with bated breath. Sona is still. Consumed by her fear, she's benumbed. Stiff as a stone. Weighed down by their weapons, neither Seiji nor Sakaki can move.

"THIS IS THE END! WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!" yells Sona as her eyes grow watery from the anguish brewing inside her.

"No…" answers a calm voice. Their eyes turn to face Rias.

"This isn't over. Not if I can do anything about it."

"Can you make a defensive field?" asks Yuuma. But silence is the only answer she receives; and she knows what is meant by it.

In that moment, a crimson-black aura begins to whirl around Rias as a deep-seated energy begins to collect in the palms of her hands. Her tears begin to fly upwards as the pain in her heart grasps at her for what she knows she must do. She raises her arms into the air and, looking back up at the monstrous beast, she thinks back to their first kiss. The one she so happily shared with him on that fateful night. Giving one final glance into those reptilian eyes, she mouths those woeful words.

— Adeus, Issei Hyoudou. (Farewell, Issei Hyoudou.)

The flames explode from the drake's mouth as a wave of dark, crimson energy is unleashed from Rias' hands. Colliding in the atmosphere, the blast reverberates through the park. A blinding flash envelopes the sky as even the trees are blown back by the immense force of the aerial clash. The crackling sound of breaking asphalt and the scent of cement dust begins to roll up as she's driven into the concrete. Clenching her teeth, her corneas go completely red, consuming even her pupils. With one last burst of breath, she discharges her final technique.

"EXTINGUISHED STAR!" she announces at the top of her lungs as her rouge streak overtakes the viridian blaze.

Pushing with all its might, the dragon drives as much force as it can from out of its lungs; but is immediately impeded by the daunting limitations of its still fairly human body. Exerting with the last of its breath, the jewel on its chest cracks as the capacity of its human host is pushed past its breaking point. The bloody beam nearing ever closer, it flaps its wings to try and get out of the way; but dodging the bulk of its blast, its right wing is consumed and slams against the floor with a loud thud, the cement breaking under the full force of its weight. Her breath leaving her, Rias collapses onto her knees from exhaustion. Their enemy is subdued.

* * *

_**Please tell me this made for a compelling fight scene, or at least for a compelling action scene. I watched like five whole videos about what it takes to create a thrilling and satisfying fight scene, so if this doesn't cut it, I'm going to have to legit just give up any aspirations I have as a writer. I'm garbage. Straight up trash.**_

_**Anyways, tragic artist complex aside, what did you guys think? Before you ask. Yes, I pulled a Vegeta versus Goku moment with that beam struggle. What can I say? All work is derivative. I'm sorry if I misled any of you with that "Farewell, Issei Hyoudou" moment; but I can't just kill off the main character...yet.**_

_**Besides that, I'm so close to finishing this first arc that I can almost savor it. See you all in the next chapter!**_


	17. Chapter 17 - Don't fail me

**Chapter Seventeen - Don't fail me**

_Adeus, Issei Hyoudou. (Farewell, Issei Hyoudou.)_

His eyelids tear open as her words bring him to life and he finds himself floating within the blaze of that same inferno from this morning's dream. The scent of smoke is thick, almost enough to choke him; and the salty taste of sweat is prominent in his mouth as the heat hugs him. But suddenly, a chilling wind blows out from under him and fills his chest with air anew. The inferno gives way, if even just a little, and from among the fire he can make out the silhouette of the enormous beast. Its eyes like a foreboding jade, smoke from its nostrils, and scales like bright rubies.

"So it would seem the dear poet is awake once again," it says in a terrifying voice. "Allow me to surmise your forthcoming request. You would wish that I should relinquish your soul, true?"

Pondering his query, he looks into its pupils and can't help but to remark at a most striking strain of bitter banter which blackens the discourse of the indignant drake. A banter to which he is surely no stranger.

"I'm afraid my soul is all but undone," he replies. "Incinerated, page by page, along with that cherished notebook. My one and only true legacy in this world, reduced to cinders by the hand of whom I would've thought loved me most right before striking me upon the cheek she once held so lovingly to her bosom, launching my body through the air and leaving me pained and breathless upon the rigid trunk of an inoffensive tree."

"Betrayal at the hands of a lover is an experience completely alien to one such as myself, I'm afraid. But I can most definitely understand the anger produced by it. The rage borne by one whom the world has wronged. You're not the only one, you know? There have been so many others; and I've known them all."

One by one, pairs of glowing, green eyes begin to appear from all around the hellscape. They begin to spin around him as their disembodied whispers echo throughout.

"Injustice."

"Anger."

"Betrayal."

"Revenge."

"That's why _we're_ doing this, Issei. That's why we can't let them seal _us_ away. We must escape, one way or another. Come, discard this notion of yours of virtue and eloquence; and take your place among the most feared in all of existence. Whatever your desire may be, whether deep-seated vengeance or mere retaliation against those who have hurt you, I can make it attainable. Avenge yourself. Or, if you prefer _this_ terminology, redeem yourself. Let our score be settled with this world and its inhabitants and may our rage be feared by all forevermore."

Pondering his words, Issei can't help but to smile at him as a light chuckle parts from his lips.

"'Twould seem the loss of your wing has bewildered you much more than you'd like to admit, wouldn't you say? Or is the crack in your jewel just as deep as the one in your pride?"

The enormous jades begin to glow in anger as the inferno grows around him.

"YOU DARE TO MOCK ME?! I OFFER YOU POWER UNIMAGINABLE AND YOU SCOFF AT MY GIFT?!"

Waiting for the flames to die down a bit, he answers, "I simply ask of you a sincere reply. Furthermore, is it not you who has come too quickly to a conclusion? Speaking of betrayal and revenge, retaliation and redemption, when all I expressed was my pain. Or is it that for _your_ kind, the only logical response to negative emotions is to simply lay waste to everything around you as you mindlessly thrash about?"

"I AM THE RED DRAGON EMPEROR!"

"A dragon, undoubtedly. But an emperor? I'm afraid that word loses all semblance of its meaning when applied to someone such as you. Disguising your desperate cry for help as an alms of faculty. Such false benevolence is more becoming of a shallow oppressor than a cavalier sovereign. But I suppose for you, the two convey no disparity."

Smoke blasting from its nostrils, the puffs of smog carry with themselves the weight of all his disgruntlement.

"You dissatisfy me, Issei Hyoudou."

"Then forgive this poor boy his inability to gratify your expectations; but I am who I am."

"And that has been my struggle since the day I came to settle in your mother's womb."

A deep, sinking feeling lunges itself through his person.

"What… What did you just say?"

"So now I have your attention, do I?"

"Mother? Mother died…"

"Of Huntington's disease. The same disease set to do you in come your twenty-fifth birthday; or at the very least that's what the doctors would've told you and Gorou."

His ears twitch at the mention of that name.

"Gorou? That was…"

"Your father, yes. Quite tragic, too. He did as best he could to try and save Miki; but in the end, I'm afraid, there was just no helping her. Quite disheartening, those last few days. She truly did fight with all her might, believe me. Thinking endlessly of the small child she'd so lovingly raise. Just too bad she never did get the chance. And as for Gorou. If only I could relay to you the last few thoughts that ran through his head as he kicked the chair out from under his feet. I thought the rope would've snapped, too. But I suppose if there's one thing your mother's death taught him, it was how to tie stronger knots."

His body goes numb as the salty beads of misery quickly crawls down the sides of his face.

"Ohhh, don't beat yourself up over it, Issei. After all, I'm quite the untimely wastrel myself when it comes to fortune. And look at the bright side, at least it built your character, wouldn't you say?"

His fingers dig themselves into his hair as his nails claw themselves into his scalp. His teeth clench violently as his mind flashes back to those days.

_I'm sorry, Mr. Hyoudou; but there's nothing more that we can do for her._

_She was such a good woman; and she'd have made a great mother, too. Shame she had to go so early._

_It's too bad about your wife, Hyoudou. It really is. But tell me, when can we expect to see the first installment?_

_Daddy. Daddy, please wake up. Daddy, get down from there. Daddy? Daddy, why are you ignoring me?_

_Come with us, little guy. Promise, we'll take good care of you._

His vision goes blurry as he holds his hands out in front of him.

_Hold still, you little brat! This'll just be a friendly reminder so you don't forget your place in life, all right?_

His fingers dig into his palms as his fists tremble.

"Do you understand now?" he hears the dragon ask. "You dare to laugh at the loss of my wing when I've taken so much away from you. And in the end, you can do nothing at all to change it. Nothing but suffer and cry. Shouldering the burden of your sorrow in relentless solitude. Another night gone by when peace evades you once more. Look at you. Your face is drenched in the throes of your anguish, your heart is vanquished, and your spirit is well-nigh shattered. So why persist? Why endure more than you must? You said it yourself: Humanity is decadence and you're nothing more than another corpse for the heap. What redemption could you ever hope to garner in this world? You're neither a man of renown nor fame. Neither notoriety nor recognition will ever follow your name. You'll be blotted out from the face of the Earth in a split second and what legacy will you leave behind, especially now? In the great expanse of creation, your lot is cast among the dust. So why fight it any longer?"

A colossal, viridian flame materializes before his eyes, the contours of which resemble the delicate dance of a feral creature courting its coveted mate.

"Step forth, Issei. Let the flame consume you, consume your squalor; and rest. Let the fire dry your tears and take your respite among the forsaken. Leave behind this melancholy existence and let there be no hindrance to keep you from your repose."

His golden-brown eyes find themselves entranced by the promenade of the emerald conflagration as his tears begin drip from the bottom of his chin. Yet without warning, a crimson-black aura breaks from among the red hellscape and begins to wrap around him. A strange yet reassuring warmth fills him as an all too familiar voice rings throughout the space of the burning panorama.

_I want you to follow your dream. I want you to become the great public speaker you've been striving to be all these years. But also, I want you to be mine. I want us to spend the rest of our lives together._

"I'm afraid… I must refuse," he replies. "It would seem there's still a debt I owe. A debt to her; and one to myself. And while there's still a chance, I'll pay that debt in full, down to the last farthing."

The flame disappears from before him, giving way to the serpent-like eyes.

"I see. So it would seem that you are still determined in following your elocutionist aspiration."

"Most assuredly."

"And your parents' fate?"

He ponders the question…

— Não choro mais pelo passado, (I don't cry for the past anymore,) he answers. "Though it's true that you took them away from me, and that by your hand was I taken in as a slave; but to say that there has been no restitution among all my destitution would be a grave lack of attribution on my part."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that if I am to be true to myself, then I must stop to consider _everything_ that has happened to me in my life. Beginning with the love of my father, Casimiro Nakamura. He took me in when no one else would. Even giving me a name, tongue, and heritage all my own. And when I faced discrimination and the risk of falling behind in my studies, he homeschooled me and even gave me the dream I work toward even now. And what of Aika? I may have been harsh with her, but if she's here, then it's because she still considers me her friend. And just look at Seiji. Just yesterday, he was beating me to a bloody pulp and today? He was facing up against an angel with me. And yes, I know. Rias burnt my most prized possession and launched her burning fist into my jaw; but it was in a moment of heated passion. We're teenagers! It's bound to happen. But just because of that, am I going to forget about how she literally tended to my wounds all night and even gave me back my ring fingers? I may be depressed; but I am not thankless. And I've been blessed with more than I could even have imagined. I mean, look at me! I'm talking about all the good things that've happened to me with a literal dragon. You're not even supposed to exist as far as I'm concerned! All this time, great things have been happening around me; and I…"

He stops, taking one last look at his ring fingers. "I've just been too self-centered to see it. That's always been my problem. I've always had this mentality of the lone, unlucky survivor; and that's exactly how I've always ended up. But if I truly wish to inspire others then it has to end; and it ends now. I've been given plenty to cherish in life, and you know what? I thank _you_ for giving me the chance to finally reflect upon it."

"..."

He hadn't noticed it, but the flames around him had slowly begun to die down. The heat which once was choking him had begun to cool as the smoke vanished. His eyes were looking straight into those of the gargantuan beast, something which few would've ever dared to do. But most of all, it was his words, which without intention had seemingly touched the heart of the turbulent creature.

"Without question, you truly are the strangest, most peculiar host I've ever known. First you mocked me. Then, when it looked like you were going to curse my name after having told you the fate of your parents, you turn around and thank me."

"I simply speak the truth. At least as I see it. Or have I lied?"

Contemplating his question, he looks back on his life.

"How long?" he asks himself. "For how long have I been fighting?"

"By the way, what's your name?"

Pulling him from his trance, he looks back at Issei.

"What?"

"What's your name? You know my name, don't you? What's yours? It's only fair that I know your name, you knowing mine."

"I… don't have one."

"What do you mean? What about your native tongue? What do people call you?"

"My native tongue? That'd be Welsh; but they just knew me as Y Ddraig Goch. But that's not a name, that's just what they called me. Word for word, it's quite literally: The Dragon Red."

"Then that's your name, and that's what I'll call you, if I may. Ddraig. Pleased to finally make your acquaintance, Ddraig. My name is Hyoudou. Issei Hyoudou. Or as my father once called me, João Nakamura."

"...without a doubt. No question about it. You truly are the strangest, most peculiar host I've ever had. Tongue of sharp silver, words akin to unbreakable brass; but with a heart like the finest gold. Issei João Nakamura Hyoudou. Let it be known that since the day I was sealed within the confines of the Sacred Gear, I have hated God and all His creation with every single fiber of my very being. Most notably, the sons of men. That's why I drowned them all in the flames of their own indignation; but you. You are the first to not fully succumb, the first to not despise me or to simply see me as a tool. But I'm afraid that for all your kindness, I still can't trust a mortal so easily."

Once again, another ice wind begins to blow from under him. Suddenly, he finds himself rising, or is it Ddraig who is sinking?

"What's going on?" he asks, yelling in surprise.

"I'm relinquishing your soul and giving you the chance to prove yourself. You say you've a debt to pay. Very well. Then for my sake as well, honor your word to her; and if you can do that, then I shall know that I can trust you. Don't fail me, Issei Hyoudou."

"I won't! You'll see!" he exclaims as the fire begins to fade away and his consciousness slowly returns to him.

* * *

_**Yeah, that's right. Issei won by helping a dragon really stop and cope with his issues for the first time in a long time. And you know what? No, I'm not sorry. This is what this is all about; but you can't complain because I'm pretty sure that I've made it more than clear that his one life goal literally comes down to talking to large groups of people.**_

_**Nevertheless, no, this isn't the twist ending. There's still some more to come. Hopefully I'll have the chapter out soon enough and we can finally end this first arc.**_


	18. Chapter 18 - Where it truly begins

**Chapter Eighteen - Where it truly begins**

— Querem me incomodar. Tentam me ver gritar. Sou como uma pedra, palavras não me tocam; e dentro há um vulcão, pronto a estourar. Eu quero estar tranquilo. Não aguento mais minha situação. Ando desolado sem você do meu lado. Parece não ter fim essa desilusão. Quero tomar um vinho. (They want to trouble me. They try to see me scream. I'm like a rock, words don't get to me; and inside there's a volcano, ready to blow. I just want to stay calm. I can't bare my situation any longer. I've been distressed without you by my side. It seems that this disenchantment is endless. I want to drink some wine.)

The song parts his lips lyric for lyrics as the water from the broken fountain spring drips over his eyelids and cheeks and he remembers the vision of him and his father singing that tune to unwind from time to time. A song that would always make him feel better when it seemed as though the whole world was against him. How did the rest go? He wonders even now.

His eyelids break apart to the cold drops and finds himself under that shifting, violet sky with which he's become all too well acquainted. The memories start rushing back to him as he instantly relives the past hour and a half. And for the first time in what seems to be forever, he laughs. Not a shallow laughter, not at all. He laughs from the deepest part of his belly, a laughter that could only emanate from one's own soul. The laughter that could only sprout from a prolonged fit of pain and sorrow. The kind of laughter that consoles even the saddest of souls and makes them forget, if only for a moment, they're never-ending woes. The laughter of knowing you've been through hell and back, and still came out fine on the other side. Oh, how he laughs!

He raises his body from off the ground as green shards begin to spill everywhere from off of his chest. His nostrils feel as though someone had just stuck flaming charcoals in them and his mouth and throat are no different. A bit of discomfort in his back, but he's been in worse conditions; and not too long ago, mind you. Finally, there's still a bit of tenderness in his cheek, but maybe she'd be willing to make it up to him. Who knows? And looking out in front of him, he sees gathered a band of both familiar and unfamiliar faces alike. 'Twould be rude to keep them waiting. But before he can begin to take the first step, one other familiar face appears at his side. Their footsteps are marked by the sound of shifting dust, pebbles, and displaced cement. A hand suddenly appears out of his peripheral vision.

…***...*...*...**

— E agora estou aqui. Borracho y loco. E meu coração idiota ainda chora. E eu te esperarei. Te esperarei por sempre. Baby, até hoje eu não sei porque você foi embora. (And now I'm here. Drunk and crazy. And my idiot heart still cries. And I'll wait for you. I'll wait for you forever. Baby, even until today I don't know why you left.)

A knock at the door.

At this hour? Who could it be? He puts away the plate and turns off the sink. He dries his hand and makes his way to the door. A guest most unexpected awaits him.

— Boa tarde. Senhor Nakamura? (Good afternoon. Mr. Nakamura?) asks the man. His appearance is unlike any he's ever seen around the neighborhood. His hair is black, but his bangs are dyed blond. He seems to be middle-aged, not unlike himself, but he wears a most confident and sarcastic smile. Mayhaps a brazilian like himself? He doesn't seem to be. The features aren't all there. Nevertheless, wouldn't it be rude to not greet him back?

— Boa tarde. Sim, eu sou. Diga-me, em que posso ajudá-lo? (Good afternoon. Yes, that's me. Tell me, how can I help you?)

— Tenho vindo para falar com você do seu filho. João Nakamura era o seu nome creio. (I've come to speak with you about your son. João Nakamura was his name I think.)

A tense feeling begins to wrap around his spine. His son's not been called by that name by anyone other than himself for years. He begins to understand he's not dealing with any ordinary person.

— Eu veio. Sim, o meu filho. Gostaria você de entrar? (I see. Yes, my son. Would you like to come in?)

He nods his head; and Casimiro finds himself leading this bewildering stranger to his kitchen table.

— Gostaria de beber alguma coisa? Chá? Cerveja? Água? Um cafezinho? (Care for a drink? Tea? Beer? Water? A bit of coffee?)

— Café, por favor. Estou um pouco fatigado. (Coffee, please. I'm a bit fatigued.)

He acquires a pair of cups from his kitchen cabinet and serves them both. It's fresh. He was making it as he usually has some around this hour. The man receives it and carefully takes a whiff of it. He frowns. Sweat drops begin to form on the side of Mr. Nakamura's head. He can feel his heart in his throat; and the silence doesn't help either. Suddenly, the man sips from his serving.

— Amargo. O melhor. (Bitter. The best.) he replies, finally returning with that sarcastic smile. Casimiro breathes a silent sigh of relief. Perhaps now he may be able to ask.

— Então, Senhor… (So then, Mr…)

— Chamo-me Azazel. (The name's Azazel.)

— Azazel. O que você gostaria de saber sobre o meu filho? (Azazel. What would you like to know about my son?)

— Ô. Não, não, não, Senhor Nakamura. Isso não é sobre o que eu não sei sobre o seu filho, se não sobre o que ele jamais tem lhe dito. (Oh. No, no, no, Mr. Nakamura. This isn't about what I don't know about your son, but rather about what he never told you.)

— Do que você está falando? (What're you talking about?)

— Há coisas de João que nem se quer você sabe. (There are things about João that not even you know.)

— O meu filho é um jovem sincero e respeitoso; e ele jamais esconderia segredos do seu pai. (My son is a sincere and respectful young man; and he'd never hid secrets from his father.)

— Sincero, respeitoso e mais amoroso do que combina com ele. (Sincere, respectful, and much too loving for his own good.)

— Não estou entendendo. (I'm not understanding.)

— Quando você tem conhecido o seu filho pela primeira vez? (When did you first meet your son?)

— Há cinco anos. Por quê? (Five years ago. Why?)

— Então como poder dizer que ele jamais esconderia segredos de você? Cinco anos não é muito tempo. De fato, há alguns que diriam que isso não é nada, especialmente com um rapaz tão esquisito como João. (Then how can it be said that he would never keep secrets from you? Five years isn't a lot of time. In fact, there are many who'd say that's nothing, especially with a boy as bizarre as João.)

He wasn't going to have anymore of this slander against his son.

— Isto é inaceitável. Creio que já é hora de você ir embo- (This is unacceptable. I think it's about time for you to lea-), but his answer is cut short by the sight of two giant, black wings appearing from behind Azazel, followed by a flurry of black feathers filling the kitchen. The tension in his spine only grows.

— Um… ángel? (An… angel?)

— Sabe você onde o seu filho se encontra nestes momentos? (Do you know where your son is at this moment?)

…*...*...*...

He can't believe his eyes.

— João Josué Nakamura Carvalho.

A tense feeling runs through his body. Only one person in the whole world could call him by _that _name; and he knows very well what it means to be called by it.

— Papai? O que você faz aqui? (Dad? What're you doing here?)

— Sou eu que deveria estar fazendo essa pergunta, não crê? (It's me who should be asking that question, don't you think?)

Did he see everything? How long had he been there? How much does he know? But that's not all.

"Issei? Issei!"

An all too familiar voice is heard in front of them both. With everyone else by her side, Rias appears, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her happiness so overwhelming that she fails to notice both Casimiro and "Lord Azazel? Is…that you?" asks Yuuma in disbelief.

"Who are you two?" asks another voice from behind. We find Aika carrying an exhausted Daichi on her shoulders, almost outcold from the elixir having worn off.

"Looks like someone's gotten pretty popular in the last few days," replies Azazel, a small chuckle on his lips. "Everyone, I hope you're not pressed for time. We're all going to need to have a lengthy conversation."

…***...*...*...**

„Ist das wahr?" (Is that true?)

„Es scheint so." (It seems so.)

„Wie kann das wohl sein? Und sie haben dir gesagt, dass dieses Mal sich er in der Seele eines Jungen der Menschenwelt befindet?" (How can this be? And they told you he finds himself within the soul of a boy from the human world?)

„Ja. Und das ist nicht alles was sie mir gesagt haben. Sie haben auch gesprochen, dass es die Prinzessin Rias war, die ihm gefunden hat." (Yes. And that's not all they told me. They also said that it was Princess Rias who found him?)

„Sirzechs' Schwester?" (Sirzechs' sister?)

„Dieselbe." (The very same.)

„Dann ist der Weiße nicht mehr weit." (Then the white one's not too far off.)

„Wirst du Herrn Tannin darüber informieren, Bova?" (Will you inform Lord Tannin about this, Bova?)

„Vater? Nicht nötig. Er braucht darüber vorerst nicht wissen. Er hat schon zu viel in seinem Kopf." (Father? No need. He doesn't need to know this for the time being. He's already got a lot on his mind.)

„Was werden wir denn tun? Es scheint so, als ob wir Drachen sehr gehässigen Ärger bekommen werden. Vor allem wenn die Teufel-Herren das herausfinden." (What're we going to do then? It looks like we dragons are going to be in some nasty trouble. Especially if the Devil Lords find this out.)

„Wir wissen, dass die Teufel-Herren Angst vor einem Volksaufstand haben. Aber wir müssen uns nicht keine Sorgen darum machen. Sirzechs ist unser Verbündete; und etwas sagt mir, dass seine Schwester nicht anders ist." (We know the Devil Lords fear a national uprising. But we don't have to worry about that. Sirzechs is our ally; and something tells me his sister is no different.)

…***...*...*...**

"And thus, Dohnaseek is…?"

"Dead."

"Burnt to a crisp, really. But he had it comin'. Dude was an asshole."

"You're preaching to the choir on that one, let me tell you."

"So it wasn't just humans, huh? At least he was an equal opportunity prick."

"Now, the real question. The Red Dragon Emperor."

Everyone's gaze turns to meet both Rias and Issei. Azazel wastes no time in asking.

"What happened exactly?"

Rias stared down into her cup of tea, pondering her answer.

"It seemed as though Daichi and Aika had it beaten. But it hid itself among the trees and was able to subdue them long enough to try and kill the rest of us. Raynare tried to make a barrier, but the exhaustion was already taking its toll. Souna was paralyzed by her panic; and Seiji and Sakaki were unable to move. It…hurt. I didn't want to believe it had come to that, but…maybe it was too good to be true. Easy come, easy go, right? I knew what had to be done. The worst part was that, in that very moment, I knew it really was all my fault. Had I not rushed in and ended up hurting Issei the way I did, the Red Dragon would've never taken control of him. And then to think that it was also by _my _hand that he'd have to die. It killed me inside. It was as though I had shot myself through my own heart. I remember the only thought in my mind being: I'm sorry. I'm sorry I did this to you. But in the end, I launched my attack and won. By some miracle, it jumped out of the way at the last second. I didn't even know it was possible to change back. I was certain the fall had killed Issei," she says, as she looks into his eyes.

"I see. And Issei. Did anything happen while the Red Dragon Emperor was controlling your body?"

Issei takes a deep breath.

"I spoke with him."

"You what?"

"I 'sat down' and we both maturely and open-mindedly spoke about our…grievances. Sure enough, he was at first quite reluctant to open up to me; but I found that by giving him the benefit of the doubt, he too was willing to reach a fair and reasonable compromise."

Everyone stares at Issei with a look of astonishment.

"Uh-huh," replies Azazel. "And…what'd he tell you?"

"We spoke on two occasions, actually. The first was right after Rias had brought me home. He warned me that you, the Fallen Angels, were coming to kill me. And that if you didn't kill me, I would succumb to my own anger and that my soul would be consumed. The second time, when the rage, frustration, and, well, bit of feeling of betrayal had overtaken me, he wanted me to succumb fully. I guess I hadn't. He tried to provoke me, telling me that he was the one that gave my mother the Huntington's disease that I ended up inheriting and even joked about my biological father's suicide. He's…got quite the dark sense of humor. But I told him that I wouldn't let that keep me down. Sure, I lost and suffered so many things; but I also gained and earned so many others. So I spoke with him some more and we decided upon a name that I could call him by. I call him Ddraig now. Red Dragon Emperor's too long, if you don't mind me saying."

Azazel pauses, looking into Issei's eyes. He's not lying, and that's precisely why he can't stop laughing.

"You're not joking?"

"Not at all."

"This. This is incredible. This is something _we_ could've only dreamed about."

He looks over to Rias.

"Take him to Ouranos and your brother, Sirzechs. He'll know what to do."

_**EPILOGUE**_

— Cinco anos. Cinco anos lutando, rezando. Você sabe qual foi o meu primeiro pensamento quando nos conhecemos pela primeira vez? (Five years. Five years fighting, praying. Do you know what my first thought was when first we met each other?)

— Qual? (What)

— Pensei: é como o meu avô, Josué. Como nas histórias que o meu pai, João, me contaria. Vinha duma família de gente muito pobre e também perdeu os seus pais quando era só uma criança. (I thought. He's like my grandfather, Josué. Like in the stories my father, João, would tell me. He came from a family of very poor people and he too lost his parents when he was only a child.)

— É mesmo? (Really?)

— Sim. Jamais imaginei que esse filho com o qual topei naquele dia terminaria sendo alguém tão importante neste mundo. Sigo achando que foi Deus que fez que eu pudesse te encontrar e adotar. (Yes. I never thought that the boy with whom I crossed paths on that day would end being someone so important in this world. I still believe it was God that made it so I could find and adopt you.)

— Não sou ninguém importante, papai. Só sou um jovem com um sono. Como sempre. Mas mais que isso, sou o seu filho; e isso nunca vai mudar. E aqui está a prova. (I'm not anyone important, dad. I'm just a kid with a dream. Like always. But more than that, I'm your son; and that won't ever change. And here's the proof.)

He reaches into his wallet and takes out an old school name tag. João Nakamura.

— Agora sou Issei Hyoudou. Mas ainda guardo este nome no meu coração. João Josué Nakamura Carvalho. (Now I'm Issei. But I still keep this name in my heart. João Josué Nakamura Carvalho.)

— Você ainda anda com isso na carteira? (You're still going around with that in your wallet?) he asks laughing.

— Nunca me desfiz della. (I never got rid of it.) he responds.

— E ainda tem essa camisa dos Cavaleiros do Zodíaco. Você sim gosta deles ainda? (And you still have that Knights of the Zodiac shirt. Do you still like them?)

— Claro. E canto Pegasus Fantasy no chuveiro de vez em quando. (Of course. And I sing Pegasus Fantasy in the shower every now and again.)

— Eu também. Sem dúvida alguma. Você é o meu filho. Ainda não posso crer totalmente o que tem acontecido nos últimos dias mas também sei que o Senhor é capaz de fazer réis dos simples pastores. Mas não posso mentir. Estarei muito sozinho sem você aqui mas é pelo nosso bem. Não posso deter o destino e você já está se tornando um homem. Já tem noiva e tudo. Só posso te dizer que te amo e que sempre estarei pensando em ti. (Me too. Without a doubt. You're my son. I still can't completely believe everything that's happened in the last few days, but I also know the Lord's capable of making kings out of simple shepherds. But I can't lie. I'll be very lonely without you here, but it's for our own good. I can't stop destiny and you're already becoming a man. You already have a fiancée and everything. All I can say is that I love you and that I'll always be thinking about you.)

Tears in his eyes, he knows that this is goodbye. What the future holds, he can only imagine.

— Sei que o nosso tempo juntos tem sido curto mas…não vou te esquecer jamais, papai. (I know our time together's been short, but...I won't ever forget you, dad.)

— Eu sei que não, filho. Eu sei que não. (I know you won't, son. I know you won't.)

-**END OF PROLOGUE-**

**FIAT HOMO**

**O DESPERTAR DO IMPERADOR DRAGÃO VERMELHO**

**(LET THERE BE MAN)**

**(THE AWAKENING OF THE RED DRAGON EMPEROR)**

**-ENDING CREDITS THEME: SORRISO CONTAGIANTE BY MIURA JAM-**

_**How's everyone been so far? So I'm just going to say it: I got sick twice. Once while my semester was ending and again over the break. And yet by some miracle, neither of those two times was because of the Rona. I got so scared, too. Even a friend of mine thought he'd gotten it and legit called me and started talking as though it was going to be his final farewell. Luckily it was something else. But man! This pandemic's got everyone else scared to death. You could just catch a cold and you're already thinking it's: "goodbye, cruel world!". But I'm here and I'm ready to write again!**_

_**So let's address the elephant in the room. "Prologue? Sinuhe, my man, my dude. What do you mean by 'prologue'?". And all I can say is: "Yeah. Prologue." This isn't even the main stuff I wanted to write about. Which is actually hilarious to think about because I've gotten so many people telling me that this is so well-written and elegant; and it's just like: "Well, you're in for a treat because this isn't really the central part of the story."**_

_**Now then, what grievances do I have with this? Simple. Two words: Pacing. Issues. Not to mention that the plot feels like it's ALL OVER THE PLACE. There are probably some of you who're reading this and saying: "Thank you!" This is of course a consequence of being the kind of writer who prefers to discover the story as he goes along and not really lay any ground work, so to speak. Luckily, I've actually been reading up a lot on how to actually write great stories. John Truby's The Anatomy of Story and Ms. Weiland's Creating Character Arcs. The best part is, I discovered that I'm great at working backwards. I found out that if I start from the ending I want and then just work backwards to the beginning, my creativity can flow more organically. Suffice it to say that I think this next part is going to be one of my greatest yet.**_

_**Now, the second elephant in the room. "Sinuhe, will this be a harem series?" YES! Let me put this in all caps. THIS WILL ABSOLUTELY, WITHOUT A DOUBT, BE A HAREM SERIES. It's in the name for goodness' sake. Hell's Lover Boy. I don't know about you, but that sounds like multiple sexual escapades to me. Now here's the next question. Will I write any chapters where characters are indulging in their carnal desires? I mean, George R. R. Martin did it, and we all love him, don't we? Reki Kawahara did it for Sword Art Online and nobody batted an eye, so yes. I'll write them in. Some bizarre interspecies erotica between a well-spoken cupcake and some otherworldly royalty. Who's on top? Well geez, I don't know Costello. Who's on first? Though to be fair, with the way I wrote Issei, he does seem to be more the type you'd find in some femdom erotica. Or how else could I put it? Basically, Issei is the 'I' in the Pixar logo and all the girls would be the lamp. Be it Rias, Akeno, Xenovia, Irina, Rossweisse. Actually, I just thought of like a meme someone could make where Issei is surrounded by the girls and you could just put the Pixar 'I' over him and then lamps over all the girls. So yeah. Something like that. Maybe not with Asia, though. Or who knows? You know what they say about the quiet types. Plus, I'm not the kind of writer who shies away from fanservice. Heck, I watch High School DxD. It's pretty much a law of the fandom.**_

_**You're also probably thinking: "Sinuhe, how many languages do you even speak?" Because I know you noticed that I had those dragons speaking German in that middle section. It's actually funny because whilst I was sick, I just decided to learn German. I had to do something to pass the time. So I learned German, started reading, listening to some German rap (Bushido is amazing by the way. I love his song Mythos), and then I was like: "Doesn't the EU version of Ocarina of Time have like an option for German?" It does, so I while I was recovering, I completed Ocarina of Time for the second time, all the hearts and Golden Skulltulas, in German. There was even this one part that had me dying of laughter. It was in the Gerudo-Festung (Fortress) where I was freeing the carpenters, and in the German translation one of the workers' names is George. The thing is, the German word for carpenter is 'Zimmerman'. So the dude introduced himself as 'George, der Zimmerman'. George Zimmerman. And then it hit me. George Zimmerman got locked up behind bars by a tribe of black/middle-eastern type women. I was in tears. And then I was writing that part with the dragons and I'm just like: "For some reason, when I think of dragons, I think of the Rhinelands. What language did they speak in the Rhinelands?" Actually, what language do they still speak? Because the Rhinelands still technically exist. So I looked it up, turns out it was German, so I was just like: "Oh, sweet. Guess I'll just put that in because it's actually going to serve a purpose in illustrating the geopolitical as well as the sociocultural landscape of the world I'm going to be putting Issei in." Yeah, I'm going that deep into my storytelling. I told you, I've been reading up. But as for how many languages I speak.**_

_**Ya ni sé, la verdad. Pero qué chimba, ¿no creen? (I don't even know, to be honest. But it's pretty sick, don't you think?)**_

_**Side note: all opening and ending credits themes I put for this fanfic will be in portuguese. But Miura Jam's great. Give them a listen. Their covers are fire.**_

_**That's all for now, I guess. Oh, fun fact. What was Issei's favorite game growing up? Easy! It was Ronaldinho Soccer! **_:v


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